Coma
by Stephaniiie
Summary: Bella is in a coma because Edward wasn't there to save her from Tyler's van. Is it possible for a relationship to form while you are "asleep"? And, if so, what happens to that relationship when, and if, you wake? BXE. COMPLETE
1. Accident

**Disclaimer- If I owned twilight I would so be somewhere else… like wherever they're filming NewMoon! Wow. But I don't okay? All credit to the brilliant Stephenie Meyer, without whom,my life would be like the night without the stars… or the comet. :) I hope that you like it.**

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**EPOV**

I knew as soon as I got back from school that day that coming back from Denali had been a bad idea. When I had spoken to her in Biology… she smelt so good. I wanted so much from her. I wanted her blood more than I could possibly imagine that I'd ever want anything. But there was something else I wanted from this strange, beautiful girl as well… I just didn't know myself what it was. And I wasn't going to stick around to find out.

My bedroom door suddenly burst open with a bang and I looked up from my bed, where I was brooding, at Alice, who was stood in the doorway.

_You're leaving,_ her thought was not a question.

"Alice, I can't stay," I told her.

"Why not?" she spoke aloud this time, although she knew that I could hear her words in her head first.

"If I don't… something bad will happen, Alice, and I… I can't let that happen."

"Edward…" she spoke aloud, but then let me see a vision she had had before I had decided to leave. I was with Bella, and she could see something in my eyes… as though a light had been turned on.

"That's why I have to go, Alice," I whispered, "I can't do that to her; it's not right. _I'm_ not right."

_You're fine, Edward, _she thought.

"Don't you see, Alice?" I looked into her eyes, "Don't you understand? I have to leave before this gets to be too much. I have to go before that happens; before it's too late."

_But what about Esme? You'll make her so sad. And me._

"I'm sorry, Alice, that's just the way things are," I sighed.

"Don't go," she whispered, "Please. It's already too late, Edward, and you know it."

"I'm sorry," I murmured, "I'll come back soon." With that, I stood up and jumped lithely from the window.

"Say sorry for me," I called back to her, as she watched me go through the open window. I saw her nod, before turning back and sprinting flat out into the dark forest.

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I had been gone for a week, doing nothing, heading nowhere. Now I was bored. I wanted to return to Forks, not just to see my family again, but I found myself longing to talk to Bella for a second time. _Stupid masochist_, I thought to myself, but still the need to go back burned stronger than the ache in my throat, and I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to turn back.

It didn't take me long to get back, but when I got there, I found that the tenor of my family's thoughts was not happy, as I'd expected. I could hear them from miles away, and I wanted to know what was wrong right away, so I ran as fast as I could to get back.

"Edward," Alice greeted me, although she did not smile.

"Alice, what's wrong?" I asked, "What's happened?"

"Edward!" Esme smiled at me, but her thoughts were not so happy: _What will he think?_

"What's happened?" I repeated, and then I realised, "Where's Carlisle?"

"Carlisle's fine, Edward," Jasper sent calming waves at me, but the panic was only numbed.

"Well, what's wrong then?" I demanded. None of their thoughts were wavering.

"It's…" Alice hesitated, "It's Bella," she whispered, and then I saw it in her mind, her memory:

Bella getting out of her truck the day after I left; Bella getting distracted by her tires; Bella not seeing Tyler Crowley's van hit the ice wrong until too late; Bella screaming; Bella caught between her truck and the on-coming van; Bella's head smacking the concrete, blood pouring from a gash in her head; Bella pale in hospital; the beeping of the monitor that measured Bella's heart rate as she lay still; Bella in a lifeless state; Bella in a coma. Bella, Bella, Bella. Beautiful, beautiful Bella.

The guilt, horror and devastation choked me until I couldn't breathe. And I realised why I had wanted to see her, why I hadn't wanted to leave. I was in love with Bella. I could've saved her, but I didn't, and now she may never wake.

"No," my whisper was a denial, "No."

"Edward…" Alice put her hand on my shoulder but I shook it off, "Edward… I'm… so sorry," she murmured.

"I… I have to go…" I shook my head, unsure of what to say, "I have to leave…"

"But you only just got back, Edward," Esme said, her tone reflecting her sadness.

"I have to go and see…" I muttered, "I can't stay… I have to…" my words were almost incoherent, and even I didn't know what I wanted. Alice's visions flickered crazily as I tried to decide whether to run, wallow or go and see my angel, lying in a coma.

"Edward, _go_," Alice urged, her eyes glinting with pity for me, "Go and see her."

I hesitated, but then nodded and whipped around, turning back to face the way I'd come. I ignored my family's thoughts of sympathy and raced to the hospital.

"Come in, Edward," Carlisle said, loud enough for only me to hear, even through the thick door.

"Is it true?" I asked as I both opened and shut the door in a split second.

_I'm sorry, son, _Carlisle thought, and I took it as a confirmation.

"I could've saved her," I whispered, "If I had stayed… I could've saved her life."

"Edward, you could've done nothing," Carlisle came and rested his hand on my shoulder. This time, I didn't shake it off, "No one could've predicted this, not even Alice. It was a cruel twist of fate, Edward, and nobody could've done anything. You cannot beat yourself up about this."

"But it is true, Carlisle," I said, "If I had been here…" I trailed off, seeing how differently Alice's memory could've been if I had indeed been in Forks that day.

"Edward, stop," Carlisle said firmly.

"I have to see her… Carlisle," I whispered.

He simply nodded and opened the door to his study, gesturing for me to leave first. He followed me along the corridor as he told me the directions through his thoughts, halting me when I got to the right door.

"I'm not coming in. Charlie, Renee and Phil will be here in about twenty minutes. You have that long," he said, but I could hear the reasoning behind his words; he wanted to give me some alone time with her. I appreciated this and nodded at him, before opening the door, and going in…

**BPOV**

It's cold and dark inside my mind. There is nothing and no one… an infinite emptiness.

That was, until I felt it. Something cold touched my hand. It got my attention unlike all of the other touches that I had felt. They had seemed meaningless, even the sounds, the voices had been nothing in all of the nothingness. But this time, the sound seemed to have some significance.

"Bella," his voice was quiet and agonized, but it was significant. And I would have recognized it anywhere, "Oh, Bella," he said. The angel's voice was not happy, not like it should be, but I didn't care. It was the only voice I wanted to hear right now. One conversation and I knew his voice by heart. One conversation and I didn't want to hear anything else. His return to Forks High had been all that I had wanted since that conversation, and now he was here and I was… I don't know. What was I? Was I dead?

The cold touch on my hand seemed to squeeze it, tightly, and I knew for sure I must be dead, as my angel spoke again, "I'm so sorry, Bella," he whispered. I was confused. What would my angel have to be sorry for? And that was exactly why I was in heaven; because my angel was with me. I couldn't see him, but I knew that he was here, and not only because of his soft voice and the pressure on my hand. I knew that he wasn't _my_ angel, but in heaven he was. And I was pretty certain that this was as close to heaven as I was going to get.

"I'm so sorry, I should've stayed… I should've saved you," he sounded like he was torturing himself over something and I wanted to open my mouth and ask, tell him not to hurt anymore, tell him that this was heaven and he should be happy, but it was like I was tied there. I couldn't open my mouth, I couldn't speak, I couldn't do anything except lie there and listen to his even breathing and my own not-so-even heartbeat projected loudly into the room by a machine.

There was silence for a moment and then he spoke again, his hand curling round my own, "I don't know if you can hear me, Bella, but I hope that you can. Please don't give up." I could hear that he was aching to say something else, something more, but he didn't.

More silence. I remembered my conversation with Charlie before the accident, and the arrangement for me to go back to Phoenix. As long as he was here next to me that was the last thing I wanted. I also remembered the relief I had felt when my head had hit the concrete, turning everything black and numb. I had still been aware: aware of the screams the cries, everything – and I had been grateful that I couldn't feel anything. Now I wished that I could see him, see his perfect face and respond to his words. I tried desperately to drag myself back up from underneath the black, but all to no avail. But then I gave up trying because he spoke again.

"I wish that I had spoken to you more before… before I left," he whispered, "I wish that I had got to ask you some more… get some more answers…" he trailed off into a thoughtful silence, before speaking again, "Alice saw that we'd be… really good friends" – what the hell did that mean? – "and I wish that I had stayed. Alice is always right, you know," he added, talking to me as though I was a good friend, a good friend who, more importantly, could respond to what he was saying, "Well, most of the time. She can't see you waking up, not yet, but you will." Suddenly I felt his cold breath by my ear and he was whispering to me, "I believe in you, Bella. You'll be fine, you'll live, you'll wake and this whole thing will be just like a nightmare. A nightmare that you can, and will, wake up from."

Nightmare? While he was here it was the best dream that I had ever had. Hmm… a dream. Now that was an interesting concept. Was I asleep, or dead?

Suddenly, his hand was gone, almost faster than I would've thought possible and a cool breeze made me aware that he had gone… he had gone. Now that my dream was over, I almost did wish that I could wake.

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Thanks so so much for reading… now PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! Even if you just say "I like it please update" that is fine. I just want to know if you like it… or not. If not I'd like to know what I can do better. I really cannot stress how much these reviews mean to me.

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SO PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW

Thanks

Steph


	2. Transfer

**Thanks so much to all reviewers, especially bkbl08 and Hannah (aren't you supposed to be in Switzerland or something?!)**

**Disclaimer- Unfortunately the best fictional character I own is… well, it's not Edward Cullen, let's leave it at that.**

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**Edward POV**

I had been by Bella's side for ten minutes when I heard Charlie, Renee and Phil's thoughts below the window. They were all hopeful and worried; hope in case Bella was getting better or even awake; worry in case she was worse, or even… they couldn't think the word and neither could I. A world without Bella would be… pointless.

I leant my face towards her, so that my lips were close to her ear and ignored the temptation, the burn. But it wasn't very hard to do that anymore; I knew that the pain I felt because of the burning was a lot more bearable than the pain would be if Bella didn't exist.

"I believe in you, Bella. You'll be fine, you'll live, you'll wake and this whole thing will be just like a nightmare. A nightmare that you can, and will, wake up from." I whispered, hoping, hoping that she could hear me; hear how sorry that I was for not being here to save her.

Then I darted from the room and out of the third floor window so fast that it would've been impossible for a human to see me. I was in the nearest forest area in milliseconds and I sat, out of habit, on a fallen tree.

I found myself wondering about tiny, trivial things compared to some of the immediate questions that had shot into my head. I wanted to know the answers to the questions that I had thought of when I had first met her. I remember wanting to discover the secrets that lay in her mind, find out why I couldn't hear her thoughts. That seemed like an insignificant thing; now I needed to know. I needed to know all about her: her favourite colours; her aspirations and dreams; what she wanted out of life; whether she liked living here in Forks yet; there was so much that I wanted to know.

I shook my head and pursed my lips, before running home, back to the rest of my family; I had made my decision. And I wasn't going to run. Not yet. I had to stay so that I could go back to the hospital, back to that room. I had to see Bella again; the need was acute. And if things didn't look up, didn't get better, _then_ I would go. If she didn't pull through, I wouldn't live either. I couldn't live in a pointless world.

I was home in minutes, despite the distance, and the house seemed quiet. It wasn't until I got inside that I realised why; only Esme was there.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked her.

"They're hunting," Esme replied, "I've already been today and I wanted to be here for you when you got back." Her tone was suddenly soft, caring, loving, "Are you okay, Edward?"

I merely shrugged and drifted to the grand piano in the corner.

_He's going to play again? _Esme's thoughts were delighted, but surprised and concerned at the same time. She removed herself from the room, but I knew that she was listening from the next one as I began to run my fingers along the keys, playing the tune as I felt it go. It was a beautiful melody, beautiful and perfect, just like the person who I was basing it on. After a while, the beautiful song drifted to a slow, sad conclusion.

_Well done, Edward, _Esme thought, overjoyed, _that was beautiful._

**BPOV**

He was gone. I didn't want him to leave, but it seemed fair enough. I had had my tiny taste of heaven. Yet, as the selfish person that I felt myself becoming, I wanted more, but now I was sure that I was heading in the opposite direction; obviously Edward wouldn't be in hell.

The next voice I heard was not Edward's.

"How is she, Dr Cullen?" Charlie asked as I heard more people file into the room.

"No change, I'm afraid Charlie," another man sighed.

"Bella?" – Mom – "Bella, honey, it's okay. Can you hear me?" there was a pause.

"I don't know if she can hear you," the same man as before spoke, and I presumed that it was Dr Carlisle Cullen, "But you can give it a try all the same. I'll leave you alone with her. I really do hope that she pulls through," Carlisle added, with so much honesty and care in his voice that it was hard to doubt him. Did he care this much for all of his patients?

"Bella, Dr Cullen said that we can take you home to Phoenix, darling, isn't that great?" Mom seemed happy, but I was confused. How could they take me home like this? As if she had heard my question she answered it, "He's given us permission to transfer you to Phoenix hospital instead of here, because we know that that's where you want to be. Don't you think that that's brilliant? Bella?" her voice choked off into a sob, and I heard Phil comforting her. But I was barely paying any attention to _that_.

Leave? Leave Forks? How could something I'd wanted so badly a few days ago now seem so bad? I wanted to scream. No! No, I didn't want that! I wanted to stay here, in the hope that Edward would come back. I didn't want to leave! I tried to pull my head above the blackness, tried to fight it, but I couldn't. It was like a heavy black blanket over everything, over all of my senses. And it meant that I couldn't tell them not to take me. I felt myself slipping into a deep, dark pit of despair.

"I'll come too, Bella," Charlie said, in an awkward tone that clearly told me that he felt kinda stupid, "I'll be there until you wake up."

_No, no, NO! _I wanted to shout, but I was held there, a prisoner inside my own body. I fought and fought and fought the blackness, but I was fighting a losing battle from the beginning and I felt tired, drained, even though I had been lying there for… I had no idea how long. Ever since that bloody van had hit me, I'd had no concept of time. I'd had no concept of anything. Everything and anything had ceased to mean anything special to me until he had been here.

I felt myself drifting into a welcome slumber, as my parents' voice became a drone in the background; they were insignificant compared to the beautiful voice that had heightened my awareness with just one word.

I slipped in and out of consciousness. I heard my parents leave and doctors come and go, but I didn't pay any attention.

Next thing I know, I "woke" to a cold touch. Of course, I still remained trapped inside my body, but I was aware again. I felt like the living dead.

The cold fingers probed along my skull gently and he muttered things. Even from his incoherent mutterings, I could tell that it was the same doctor that had been here earlier, Dr Carlisle Cullen. The one who had given my parents permission to take me away. I wanted nothing more that to tell him to take back the permission, to hold me here and, most importantly, to ask him if Edward was coming back.

But I couldn't. So I lay there until I heard him leave and my room was silent once again.

**EPOV**

Rosalie, Alice, Emmett and Jasper returned from the hunting trip not long after I my own return, and, for some unfathomable reason, avoided me like the plague. They had obviously been instructed to not bug me. But their thoughts couldn't be hidden.

_Stupid bitch. Who does she think she is? How could Edward like her? She's not even remotely pretty; how could he go for her and not me? _Rosalie's malicious feelings made a low defensive growl bubble up in my chest, but I refused to let it out and ignored her.

_Why does Edward feel so guilty? _Jasper, _Bella's accident wasn't at all his fault. And he's so sad… so broken. I've never felt anything like it…_

_I hope he's okay… _Esme's motherly concern was still swirling around her head.

_Ah, crap! _Emmett's thoughts were not about me at all; he was more worried about the score on the game on TV. No one else understood how he could find that entertaining, but his brain wasn't very original, so it was hardly surprising.

_I hope she wakes. _I_ want her to, and for Edward's sake. It will kill him if she doesn't… I can't believe he already feels that passionately about her… how in love he already is. Hmm… I wonder… _And Alice was off speculating… again.

I sighed quietly and began to play the song that I had composed earlier to myself quietly as I waited for Carlisle to return from the hospital with any news about Bella. I didn't have to wait for long.

Just two hours, though it had felt like centuries, after I had got back, I could hear his thoughts from a few miles away. Immediately I knew that he was hiding something from me, and dread quickly lodged itself inside me. I could barely wait the two minutes it took Carlisle to reach the door.

"Carlisle, what is it?" I pounced on him as soon as he came in, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's… wrong, as such," Carlisle carefully worded his reply to my anxiety.

Then I heard Alice gasp as she saw the future shift, and Carlisle's real answer to my questions.

"What's _happened_, Carlisle?" I repeated frantically, "Has she got worse?"

"Bella…" Carlisle cleared his throat and checked me over to see whether I could take whatever was coming next.

"Carlisle, I can handle it… Please, it's better then not knowing." I took a deep breath, "Is she… is she…?" I couldn't finish, but they all knew what I meant.

"No," Carlisle shook his head, "No, nothing like that. She hasn't got worse…"

"She's better? Awake?" I interrupted, awed. I didn't feel relief like I should've, thinking that she had got better, been responding, but I didn't. I felt… jealous, of who had been there when she awoke and worried that she wouldn't want to see me.

"No," Carlisle quashed my spirits.

"Then… what? I don't understand, Carlisle," I said.

"Bella… had arranged…" Carlisle kept pausing, and it took all of my self-control not to interrupt again, "… before the accident… with her parents… she had arranged to go back to Phoenix three days ago. She was supposed to leave then, but, obviously, she couldn't… so…"

"So she did wake then?" I couldn't help myself this time, "And she has to leave?" a sinking feeling hit me as the thought of having her away from me for any amount of time coursed through me.

"No, Edward. Will you stop jumping to conclusions?" Carlisle sighed. There was a pause and then he continued, "Her parents requested my permission so that she could be transferred to Phoenix general hospital instead of staying here."

I was relieved, "So?"

"Edward," Carlisle paused, "I gave them that permission. Bella will be transferring to Phoenix General Hospital tomorrow."

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**Duh duh duuh! Sorry about the tiny cliff hanger!**

**Quote from the next chapter:**

"_**I don't know if you can hear this, Bella, but I wrote it for you," I muttered. As the lullaby filled the room, I stared at her, memorizing her every feature. I knew that Carlisle was right, that I was being selfish, but I couldn't bear Bella leaving.**_

**No**_**, I reprimanded myself. This would be the last time that I would see her. I wouldn't act on selfish impulse any more. But before she left, there were a few things that she had to know…**_

**Yes, Bella's parents want to move her to Phoenix! Will they be separated forever or will Edward save the day before it's too late?**

**PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Steph**


	3. Lullaby

Thanks so, so much to all of my wonderful reviewers! I love you all and this chapter, and all of the others, are for you!

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"_What?!"_ I fumed, "Why? Why did you give them permission, Carlisle?"

"I couldn't not!" he replied defensively, "It's not only what they want, it's what Bella wants too."

"_Wants?_" I argued, naturally, "Want_**ed**_, Carlisle. She wanted it before the accident, you said so yourself!"

"I really doubt that she's changed her mind, son," Carlisle murmured.

"But what about me? What about what I want?" I wanted her to stay. No, more than that. I wanted her to want to stay.

"Edward you don't _own_ her," Carlisle reminded me, "I took your feelings into consideration" – I snorted rudely and Esme scolded me through her thoughts, but I ignored her as thoroughly as I ignored everybody else – "but it is not how you feel that really matters. Surely you want what's best for her? Surely you want for her what she wants?"

"Yes," I muttered begrudgingly.

"Besides, we don't know how long she'll be out for, or even if she will manage to hold on."

"She will!" I cried, in denial, "She will. She's strong, Carlisle."

"Edward, you know her chances as well as I do," Carlisle whispered.

"She will," I repeated.

"But you can't be sure. _If _she doesn't manage to hold on, isn't it better for her if she dies near to home, near to where she wants to be?"

"She won't die, Carlisle!" I shouted. If I could cry, my tears would be raging beyond control. Nobody spoke.

Finally, Alice broke the awkward silence, "There's another way around this…" she whispered, showing me the idea in her head.

"No!" I growled, "No, Alice. I can't subject her to this life."

"Edward, it's not a bad idea," Esme said thoughtfully. I could see it now in her head. Bella a part of our family her eyes a bright crimson, stood next to me, and I was smiling. But I couldn't do it. I didn't want that. I didn't want a beautiful, innocent creature like Bella to be damned to this half-life.

"Edward, she is dying," Carlisle told me. He wasn't aware of how his words burned me, "It would be easy to pull off. We can tell her parents that she just didn't make it… and you can keep her forever. I wouldn't usually agree to this, but… under the circumstances…"

"No, Carlisle, I can't do it," I whispered, meaning it in more way than one. As much as I wanted this future for myself, I didn't want it for Bella, not at all. And I wasn't sure that I would be able to stop… as soon as I tasted her blood… I wouldn't stop… I didn't think that I could.

"I can do it for you," he offered.

"No, Carlisle you don't understand," I shook my head, "She deserves so much more. I can't condemn her to this."

"But is death better?" Alice said, raising an eyebrow at me and I could see her thoughts. If Bella died, that was it. I was going with her. But Alice knew as well as I did that the future could change.

"Bella's not going to die, Alice," I sighed, "That's just what _could_ happen if she does. But she won't."

"What did you see, Alice?" Esme asked.

"Nothing," Alice lied, holding my gaze. It was clear that no one believed her, but they left it at that, not sure if they wanted to know what she had seen.

_I don't know why he's so desperate to stay with her all of a sudden, _Rosalie's bitchy thoughts were beginning to get on my nerves.

"When can I go and see her?" I turned to Carlisle.

"Tomorrow morning, when I go in," Carlisle replied, "The ambulance from Phoenix will be here at twelve o'clock. You can come in with me at eight." _If you want to,_ he added in his head. He was worried that seeing her again wouldn't make the separation any easier, but I had made my decision. Now I just had to wait for one night before I could see my angel again.

**BPOV**

Tomorrow. When was tomorrow? I didn't know how fast time went whilst I was stuck like this. It was no good them telling me that I would be transferred to Phoenix tomorrow when I didn't even know when that was. For all I knew, the accident could've been an hour ago, even though it felt like years.

Oh, no. _Had_ it been years? Would I wake up to look in the mirror and see myself like a giant shrivelled prune?

But now I was pretty certain that I wasn't dead or sleeping. I had found a third option: Edward had been here (wherever here was) talking to me, just like my parents and the doctors had. I was surprised that I hadn't thought of that before. I guessed that it must have been because I wasn't paying much attention to these people before, but now I listened to every word they spoke, just in case they said anything about Edward.

I thought now that this third option, could possibly be the most likely, even though it seemed impossible. It was the one I wanted to be true anyway. I decided that I couldn't be sleeping or I would've woken by now. Weren't dreams only supposed to last thirty seconds? And dead? Well, that was still an option, but if I was in heaven, or even halfway there, there wouldn't be this nothingness. And my parents wouldn't be this sad, and nor would the doctors bother me. This wasn't the sanctuary I had considered that heaven would be like.

I concluded that Edward had come to see me here (although the reasoning behind this visit was beyond me), just as my parents did frequently. However, I was convinced that he wouldn't come back again, though I still hoped.

I don't know how long I lay there for, but the next thing that I was conscious of was the door being opened and two people walking in. Having no sight had heightened my other senses, especially my hearing.

"How is she, Carlisle?" Edward spoke. I felt my heart give a jolt, and the monitor expressed it out loud. Suddenly someone was holding my hand, and Edward whispered in my ear, "Bella? Bella, can you hear me?" he sounded amazed.

"She's no better Edward," Carlisle, I presumed, replied. And this time, I knew that I wasn't imagining it, because he had said Edward. There was no way it could be anyone else.

Abruptly, a loud beep went off. Someone silenced it almost immediately.

"I've got to go," Carlisle told Edward, "You'll be okay, won't you? Her parents are coming at ten. Be gone by then."

The next thing I heard was the door shutting gently. Gone by ten? How long was that? I didn't want him to leave ever.

"Can you hear me, Bella?" he asked again. I wanted more than anything to reply, to tell him why my parents would be here soon, that I was being made to leave. I desperately wanted to beg him to let me stay, to persuade them that I didn't want to go. But he didn't know that I didn't want to go, and I couldn't tell him.

There was a clicking noise, and I couldn't figure out what it was at first. Then Edward said, "I don't know if you can hear this, Bella, but I wrote it for you."

Then the most beautiful piece of music I had ever heard filled the room quietly. It was a lullaby and it was gorgeous. He had _written it_? For _me?_ But why?

**EPOV**

"Can you hear me, Bella?" I repeated, but her heart didn't respond. My hope was gone again.

I stared at her for a minute. Her beauty struck me as it had the first time that I had walked into this room. It was strange that I had never thought of how gorgeous she was before I had realised how I felt before. Now I couldn't imagine thinking her plain and ordinary, as I had originally considered her.

I fingered the tape and player in my hand, and then plugged it in and slipped the tape in.

"I don't know if you can hear this, Bella, but I wrote it for you," I muttered. As the lullaby filled the room, I stared at her, memorizing her every feature. I knew that Carlisle was right, that I was being selfish, but I couldn't bear Bella leaving.

_No,_ I reprimanded myself. This would be the last time that I would see her. I wouldn't act on selfish impulse any more. But before she left, there were a few things that she had to know.

The song came to an end and I stopped the tape. For a moment, there was only the sound of Bella's heart beat and my even breathing.

"Bella," I whispered, unsure of where to start, "You have to go back to Phoenix, and I have to stay here. I have to stay away from you. You wouldn't want me near you anyway, no matter what I want. I want to follow you everywhere, but I can't. I'm not right for you, Bella. You're beautiful, strong, caring, kind and the most unselfish person I've ever met. I'm… well, I'm a monster." Even I could hear the agony in my own voice as I explained.

I took a deep breath, practically welcoming the burning – I would be grateful for it as long as it was here, because, if that was here, then so was Bella – and continued, "It both senses. I'm selfish and I want things I can't have. I want things that are dangerous to everybody else, and I keep putting you at risk, just by being here. That's the other monster I am, Bella.

"I'm not human, Bella," I admitted, glad, for once, that she could not react to anything I said, because this would no doubt scare her. But she had to know, even though it was against the rules, "I'm dangerous, I'm not good enough to be near to you. I could snap your body like you humans can snap toothpicks. I shouldn't be here, but I'm not strong enough to stay away. I couldn't stay away, Bella. But now I'm putting you in danger, and I'm so sorry."

_Edward!_ Carlisle's frantic thoughts caught me off-guard, _Edward, the timing's been re-arranged. Bella's parents are on their way here now and the ambulance won't be far behind. They re-arranged this whilst I was at home last night, so I didn't know. I'm so sorry, Edward, but you have to leave quickly._

I moaned quietly. There was so much more that I wanted to tell Bella, so much that I wanted to admit, but I would have to settle for the most important.

"I'll miss you, Bella," I whispered, leaning my face towards hers, judging my self-control. It seemed okay, so I pressed my ice-cold lips to her warm, unresponsive ones and kissed her. I realised that this was something I had always wanted to do, ever since I first lay eyes on her.

When I pulled away, I rested my forehead on hers and sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I'll leave you now. I love you," I whispered, and then turned to leave, deliberately leaving the tape player and tape there for her. Nobody but Carlisle and I would know who left it there. And Bella. I didn't look back, I couldn't. It would hurt so much more. I leapt lithely from the window, wondering where I would run to this time, because one thing was for sure: I couldn't stay for any longer.

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**Quote from the next chapter:**

"_Hello Bella," Carlisle said to me gently as he sat on the bed; his eyes were full of questions, "How are you?"_

_I opened my mouth again, but all I could say was, "Where is he? Where's he gone?"_

"_Who?" Mom asked Carlisle, "Who's she talking about? What's the matter with her?"_

"_Edward. Where's Edward?" I sobbed hysterically._

**Yes, she wakes up in the next chapter! But has Edward gone too far to come back?**

**Please, please review!**

**The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll update! Shall we say... a minimum of ten more reviews before another update? Or is that too ambitious? Actually, I don't think so- there are so many hits on this story and not many reviews compared to the number of hits so if everybody chips in... I ACCEPT ANONYMOUS REVIEWS!**

**Please?**

**Steph**


	4. Waking Up

**Wow. I can't believe I got so many reviews for one chapter. I was expecting not to have to update for a few more days because of my 10 review request but the next time I went on the computer there were 16 new reviews!**

**Thank you so, so much! I would try to reply to all of you, but I only have a limited amount of time on the internet, so please forgive me if I can't! Thanks all of you and here's the next chapter!**

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**BPOV**

Suddenly his ice-cold lips were pressing gently against my own, and my heart rate increased two-fold. I felt a new strength inside me, and used it, pulling myself up, but I didn't have enough. I was so nearly there, but I didn't have enough. But then he spoke the words that enabled that extra bit of strength I needed.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I'll leave you now. I love you," he whispered. He loves me? For a moment, I was in complete ecstasy. The extra strength came easily and I dragged myself up from underneath the black blanket that was pinning me down. My eyes opened, just in time to see him disappear through the window and dart into the trees at an inhumane pace. My own memories had not done him justice.

"Edward," I said, but my voice was quiet, weak, from lack of use. He was gone and I felt the tears build up. I was so confused. He loved me, but now he had left me forever.

I glanced at the clock, but that was no use because I didn't know how many days that I had been out.

Suddenly, there was a light tap on the door just a second before it opened and a gorgeous doctor came in, flanked by Renee, Charlie and Phil.

"Bella?" Mom whispered.

I opened my mouth to say hi, but it was like someone had turned a tap on, and the tears just flowed and flowed.

"Oh, baby," Mom ran to my side and pulled me into a hug. She was crying as well, but the other three men stood by the door gaping.

"I thought there was no change? You said she wasn't getting any better," Mom said accusingly to the doctor.

"There wasn't. She must've woken up just now," the doctor had a familiar voice and I knew that it was Carlisle, who had been here with Edward this morning, "I have to take a look at her," he said, pulling the stethoscope from round his neck off.

"Hello Bella," he said to me gently as he sat on the bed; his eyes were full of questions, "How are you?"

I opened my mouth again, but all I could say was, "Where is he? Where's he gone?"

"Who?" Mom asked Carlisle, "Who's she talking about? What's the matter with her?"

"Edward. Where's Edward?" I sobbed hysterically.

"Dr Cullen? What's happened?" Renee was panicking now.

"I don't know," Carlisle answered, but he was gazing into my eyes as if he had seen a ghost, "Bella could you hear us whilst you were unconscious?"

Oh, so I had been unconscious. Of course I had heard them. I could still remember every word Edward had ever said to me. He wasn't human and he was dangerous, but I still loved him. I didn't understand what he meant by everything he said, but I still loved him. I loved him with all of my soul.

"Edward…" I whispered, "He's gone."

"Excuse me for one moment," Carlisle said to Renee, Charlie and Phil, before slipping out of the room. I shivered and sobbed on the bed, and Renee hugged me.

**EPOV**

I still didn't know where I was going. I just kept running.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. I flicked it open and answered it, "Carlisle?"

"Edward. What did you say to Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"I… uh… not much…" I lied.

"Edward, tell the truth. What did you say?" he repeated.

"Why?"

"Because she's in hysterics," Carlisle told me.

"What?" I was confused. How could someone unconscious be hysterical?

"She's hysterical. She won't stop saying your name. Can't say anything else."

"_What?_" I repeated, "Talking?"

"Yes," Carlisle sounded confused as well, but then he seemed to catch on to something, "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" I growled. What had happened?

"She didn't wake while you were there?"

"What?" I gasped, "Wake? You mean she's…"

"Yes, Edward," Carlisle said, "She's awake. And something you said to her has made her hysterical. She just keeps saying `Edward. Where's Edward?'"

"Oh, no," I whispered. I had scared her into waking.

"You need to come back," Carlisle told me, "It may be the only thing that will help her."

"No, Carlisle, you don't understand. I told her that I was dangerous. I told her that I wanted to kill her!"

"You think that you scared her?"

"Yes! Don't you?" I asked, exasperated.

"Actually, Edward, I really don't think that that is the case at all. Just come back and see for yourself." Then he was gone.

**BPOV**

Just after Carlisle had left, I noticed it. The tape player still sat on the table next to my bed, by a bowl of fresh fruit.

"Bella, honey, it's okay," Mom comforted me, but I ignored her and reached for the machine. I rewound it and pressed play. The same song, the lullaby, _my_ lullaby, filled the room, it's beauty unnatural.

"What… is _that_?" Charlie gasped. He and Phil had both been very quiet until now.

"It's exquisite," Phil agreed and I buried my head in my hands, still weeping.

"Bella, Bella, what is it?" Renee asked me, panic evident in her tone.

"It's Edward," I whispered, "Edward did it."

"Who's Edward?" Renee enquired.

"Do you mean Edward Cullen, Bella?" Charlie came over too, "I didn't know that you two were friends."

At that moment, Carlisle came back, "Sorry about that," he apologised, "I had to make a call."

"Does she mean your boy, Dr Cullen?" Charlie asked him, "Edward. That's your boy's name isn't it?"

"Mmm," Carlisle said vaguely, "Can I get you to all come and sign some papers?"

"What, and leave Bella alone?" Renee refused, "I'm not leaving her like this."

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. If you go with Dorothy" – he indicated a nurse standing by the door – "And I need to check her over anyway. Don't worry, I'll find out what's wrong."

Renee nodded and reluctantly followed Phil and Charlie out of the room, though she kept glancing back at me.

There was a long silence after they had gone, and Carlisle just stared at me.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he said eventually.

I nodded, scared that if I opened my mouth again, the tears would flow relentlessly again.

Then there was a light tap on the door.

"Come in," Carlisle said, and the door opened. I looked up and saw my angel standing in the doorway.

**EPOV**

I opened the door, nervous of what I might find. The first thing I saw were her chocolate brown eyes staring back at me. I saw myself reflected in her eyes and I looked… scared. Worried.

"Edward?" she whispered, and Carlisle stood up and walked over to me.

_She's not scared of you, Edward,_ he thought, pausing to pat my shoulder gently as he left, closing the door behind him.

I didn't move from the doorway, afraid of spooking her.

"Edward?" she repeated.

"Bella," I whispered, looking at the floor. A noise made me look up and she was getting out of the bed.

"No, don't do that," I murmured from where I stood.

"Why not?" she demanded, her bottom lip jutting out in a stubborn pout.

"Because you'll hurt yourself," I felt the sides of my mouth pulling up into a smile.

"Well, come here then," she ordered. I looked up at her, surprised. She smiled at me shyly and I couldn't help but obey. I went over and perched on the end of her bed.

"You were here?" she asked. I nodded.

"But you left," this time it was a statement. I nodded again.

"Why?" she said gently, reaching out to touch my arm. I looked up and she froze, then pulled her arm back again, "Why?" she repeated.

"Because your parents were coming," I shrugged.

"So?" her brow furrowed in confusion.

"So they can't know I'm here, Bella. I shouldn't be," I replied quietly.

"I don't understand," she said carefully.

"Did you hear anything I said? While you were… unconscious?"

"I heard everything you said," she whispered intensely, "Every word."

"I'm dangerous, Bella." I wasn't sure whether to be grateful that she had heard or not.

"So?" she said again.

I was amazed. I whipped my head round to look at her, my teeth bared in anger, "So?" I quoted her. She leant away from me, finally scared.

"I could kill you, Bella," I whispered, "I want to."

She stared into my eyes for a long moment before answering, "I don't care."

"You don't care?" I was incredulous, and cross, "But I meant everything I said, Bella. When I said that I could snap your body like you could snap a toothpick, I wasn't joking."

"You meant every word?" she checked, her eyes narrowing the tiniest bit.

"Every word, Bella," I promised.

"So, you meant it when you said…" she hesitated, unsure of how to word something. I waited, "What did the kiss mean?" she eventually asked. Damn I was in too deep here, and, by the sounds of it, so was she.

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**Quote from the next chapter:**

"_You can stay at Charlie's tonight, but then you can come back to Phoenix with us," Renee decided, "If you really, really don't like it then you can come back here when you're eighteen, but Phil's right, Bella. We can't change everything that we've arranged."_

**Okay, this time I'm going to ask for 15 reviews, which is one less than last time, so that shouldn't be too hard. However, you must remember that I do actually need time to write this and you mustn't begin to expect an update every couple of days! Sorry!**

**Please review**

**Steph**


	5. Too Late

**Previously:**

"_I could kill you, Bella," I whispered, "I want to."_

_She stared into my eyes for a long moment before answering, "I don't care."_

"_You don't care?" I was incredulous, and cross, "But I meant everything I said, Bella. When I said that I could snap your body like you could snap a toothpick, I wasn't joking."_

"_You meant every word?" she checked, her eyes narrowing the tiniest bit._

"_Every word, Bella," I promised._

"_So, you meant it when you said…" she hesitated, unsure of how to word something. I waited, "What did the kiss mean?" she eventually asked. Damn I was in too deep here, and, by the sounds of it, so was she._

**BPOV**

As soon as Edward was there, I felt sane again. I could breathe evenly and I could say more than just his name. Carlisle left us alone, which I appreciated, and we launched into an awkward conversation.

He had admitted that he wanted to kill me, and when I told him that I didn't care, I honestly meant it. It was the wrong thing to say; it infuriated him.

"You don't care? But I meant everything I said, Bella. When I said that I could snap your body like you could snap a matchstick, I wasn't joking," he told me, staring me down. I was captivated by his butterscotch eyes, but I hadn't missed the important bit of his small speech.

"You meant every word?" I asked.

"Every word, Bella," he nodded solemnly. Stupidly, I felt a quiver run down my spine when he said my name.

"So you meant it when you said…" I trailed off, hoping that he would pick up on the words that I didn't want to say. He didn't, and I felt myself flush. In the end, I worded my question differently, but the meaning, and the desperation, was still there, "What did the kiss mean?"

He didn't answer straight away. He moaned quietly, so quietly I couldn't be sure that it even was him.

"It meant nothing at all," I whispered, realising, "You don't really care." Pain hit me worse than Tyler's van, and I felt tears flood down my cheeks again. This was so embarrassing; I didn't know why I'd expected anything different.

"What?" Edward looked at me, his eyes wide. His cold hands came up to cradle my face, cupping my chin, "You think that I don't care for you?"

"It would make sense," I mumbled, marvelling at the touch of his marble-smooth skin on mine.

"Never think like that, Bella," he snapped, "You're so much better than me, in so many ways. I feel for you more than you can even comprehend, but I'm not right for you. I'll hurt you."

"But you didn't answer my question straight away," I pointed out.

"Yes, but that's because of your question itself. It's one thing for me to be so involved, but another completely if you feel the same way. I don't want you to feel that way, Bella, it's not good for you. I'll hurt you," he explained in a voice barely above a whisper.

"But it's too late," I whispered back, "I love you, Edward. And I don't care about the danger, I only care about you."

"But you don't understand," he groaned, "I could kill you," he warned for the billionth time.

"I don't think that you could," I disagreed.

"Bella…" he trailed off and his head snapped up to look at the door.

"Don't leave!" I exclaimed, beginning to panic. Then the door opened and Carlisle came in.

"Go, Edward," he instructed Edward.

"No! No, stay!" I argued, "Don't go!" my hands reached up and I pressed his own hands harder to my face, not letting him go.

"Sorry, Bella," he whispered, releasing his hands easily, though I was using all of my strength, "I'll come back later," he promised, making it easier for me to breathe. But then he was gone, and I felt lost. When he wasn't there, I felt incomplete.

I bit my lip, embarrassed and looked at the floor so that I couldn't catch Carlisle's eye. To my intense surprise, he chuckled.

"Well, Bella," he said, "I hope that you're feeling better _now_."

I nodded forlornly and he laughed again.

"He'll come back later," he too promised.

I heard my mother's heels clacking against the lino outside before she was even close.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything about Edward now, considering I've just miraculously healed your hysteria," Carlisle added and I nodded again.

"Bella?" Renee asked as she opened the door.

"I'm fine Mom," I sighed as she came in.

"Oh, Bella!" she smiled when she saw that I was better and came over and hugged me, "Honey, are you sure that you're okay?"

"I'm great," I forced a smile onto my face for my mother's benefit.

"Thank you, Dr Cullen," Renee turned to Carlisle, "I don't know what you did, but it seems to have worked." Then she turned back to me, "Guess what, Bells?"

"What?"

"You can come home!" Renee's smile reached her ears, "You don't have a concussion and you seem fine, so you're allowed to go home and rest."

"Great," I smiled too. Home; that would be nice after all this time, "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Just over a week," Renee told me, "You were going to be transferred to Phoenix today, but that's not necessary anymore- I can take you!"

"What?" I asked, my smile gone, "Take me back to Phoenix?"

"Yes, honey, isn't that what you want?"

"No," I shook my head, trying to stay calm, "No, Mom, I want to stay here, in Forks."

"But…" she looked so dejected.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I don't want to go back there. I'm happy here," I said.

"Don't be silly, Bella," Phil interjected, "We've been here and there carting all of your bloody stuff and that lump of rusty metal that you call a car around, you can't just change your mind."

"But I have," I said stubbornly.

"No you haven't, young lady, you're coming back to Phoenix with me and your Mom. I cancelled my tour for this and then you think that we can change everything for you? Well, the world doesn't revolve around you, Bella."

"Don't speak to my daughter like that," Charlie glared at him, "If Bella wants to stay, then Bella can stay, isn't that right, Renee?"

"I don't know…" Mom said, her brow furrowing, "Bella, honey, we have arranged a lot to get you back to Phoenix like you asked…"

"I don't want to!" I objected.

"Tough luck, kid," Phil said.

"You can stay at Charlie's tonight, but then you can come back to Phoenix with us," Renee decided, "If you really, really don't like it then you can come back here when you're eighteen, but Phil's right, Bella. We can't change everything that we've arranged."

"What? No!" I cried, "No, you can't do that! I won't be eighteen for almost another year!"

"Well done," Phil said sarcastically.

"Wait one minute, Renee," Charlie interjected, "Bella's my daughter as well!"

"But you were all too happy to get rid of her yesterday!" Renee shouted back.

"I was not!" Charlie argued.

"Charlie, Bella can stay at yours for a night or two, and then she's coming back to Arizona with us. I'm sorry, but there's just no other way around this," Renee concluded. A night or two at Charlie's. Was that long enough to change their minds?

**EPOV**

I had heard in Carlisle's head that they were sending Bella back to Charlie's home in Forks for this evening, but then she may be sent to Arizona. Was one night enough to persuade Bella to stay here in Forks?

She had said that she loved me, that she cared for me, but she wasn't sure that I felt the same way. How could she think like that? How could she believe that I didn't care for her so much more than she possibly could vice versa?

Just an hour after I had left the hospital, Charlie's cruiser drew up outside the house, Bella seated, asleep, in the back. Renee and Phil were staying in a hotel nearer the hospital, where they had been since Bella's accident.

Charlie went round to the back of the car and opened the door, waking Bella gently. They went inside and Bella asked to go straight upstairs, claiming to be tired.

"But it's midday!" Charlie had exclaimed.

"I know, Dad," Bella yawned, "But I'm exhausted."

"Okay, honey," Charlie gave in.

Bella traipsed upstairs and into her room that hadn't been changed at all since the accident and sat on her bed, tears already trickling down her cheeks.

I tapped gently on the window and her head snapped up. A smile lit her face when she saw me and she ran to the window, flinging it wide and pulling me in.

"Edward, oh, Edward," she rested her head on my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" I asked gently, rubbing my hand up and down her back. The room was full of her scent, but it was so much more bearable now. Now I could never bear to have her even unconscious again, let alone kill her myself.

"They're making me go back to Phoenix, Edward," she wailed quietly, "I don't want to go," she whispered, and this surprised me. I thought that she would've wanted to go. Again, the curiosity as to what she was thinking was almost overwhelming.

"Why don't you want to go back?" I asked.

"I don't want to leave you," she whispered, as though she was afraid that I'd punish her for wanting such a thing.

"I don't want you to leave me either," I said. She lifted her head off of my shoulder and looked me in the eye.

"I love you," she whispered.

"As I love you," I whispered back, "They won't separate us, don't worry."

"I'm not worrying," she lied. I laughed and then she yawned.

"Maybe you should get some sleep?" I suggested.

"I'm not sleepy," she muttered, but she knew as well as I did that that was a lie.

"Come on," I lifted her into my arms and lay her on her bed.

"Don't go," she whispered, gripping at my shirt.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised, lying down next to her and putting my arm round her.

"Thank you," Bella smiled at me, and I smiled back. She fell asleep almost immediately, her head resting on my chest and I kept my promise, staying by her side all night. But I knew that the morning wouldn't bring happiness like the night did; there was a promise of separation on the horizon…

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**Ok, I am SO SORRY for the length of time it took me to update!!!!! And sorry that it was a bit of a filler as well. But I hope you liked it anyway.**

**Quote from the next chapter (that I haven't finished yet... :S):**

_It would be much better for her to go back to Arizona with her Mother. I couldn't afford to get any more attached and neither could she. She would forget me if she went, and that was what was best for her; to move on and spend her life with someone who deserved her. A normal human being, not a monster like myself._

**Please review- reviews are ****definitely**** my brand of heroin XD**

**Steph**


	6. Leaving

**Bella POV**

I awoke early the next morning, sure that the last week had been a dream, but then I stretched and it took me a moment longer than it should've to realise that I should've fallen off of the bed. I jumped slightly, and then noticed that someone's cold arms were holding me up. I squirmed around in his arms so that I could see his face.

"Good morning," he murmured and I smiled at him.

"Nice sleep?" he asked.

"Yep," I grinned, "You?"

"Um… yes. It was pleasant," he answered awkwardly, but he was hiding a smile.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?" he asked casually, twisting a strand of my hair round his index finger.

"Oh no," I moaned quietly, "What did I say?"

He stared into my eyes, his own softening and making my insides melt, "You said that you loved me."

"You already knew that," I pointed out.

"And you said that I saved your life," he said.

"You did," I whispered, "Without you by my side, I wouldn't have had the strength to come back. It was horrible, Edward." I shuddered and buried my head in his chest. His arm wrapped round me protectively.

"I really helped that much?"

"Of course you did. Nothing meant anything to me until I heard your voice," I admitted.

"I find that hard to believe," he chuckled.

"Well, believe it," I told him, "You really mean that much to me."

"You mean more to me." His sweet breath blew on my neck, tickling it.

"Impossible," I muttered.

"I highly doubt it."

"Well, either way, you're stuck with me," I said.

"But your mother wants to take you home today." His voice was hard, hurt.

"Edward…" I moaned, not grateful for the subject change. I was wrapped up in my perfect world for now, and I didn't want to wake up and face reality.

He stayed silent, his hand rubbing my back soothingly.

"Will you come with me?" I begged, "To Phoenix? Please? I can't go without you."

"No…" he sighed, "I can't go, Bella, I'm so sorry."

"Why not?"

"I just… can't. And I can't tell you why either, I'm sorry."

"But what else can I do?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"I won't go without you, Edward. I'll refuse to. I can't be where you're not."

"You have to," Edward said, "Bella, it's better for you without me."

"What?" I cried, "No! I can't be where you're not! I just… can't!"

"I'm not good for you, Bella," he warned.

"I _know_ that you're not human, Edward, I heard every word you said, remember?" I sighed, "But I don't feel any differently about you at all."

"Aren't you going to ask what I am?"

"No," I said after a pause. I could find that out later on.

I could've sworn I heard him _growl_ but I didn't say anything, "Bella I'm made to kill. I'm made to kill humans… I'm made to kill you. I _want_ to kill you."

"It doesn't change anything; it's too late for that," I said passionately.

"Never say that!" he growled.

I didn't say anything and neither did he for a moment. The only sound was my father's snores in the other room.

Eventually, Edward spoke again, "Bella, I don't want to hurt you, okay? That's why I have to let you go without me. Being together… Bella, it wouldn't be right."

"I'll be hurt if we have to be separated," I muttered.

"But you'll get over it, Bella, don't you see?" he looked into my eyes, "Nothing has happened between us, so you'll get over it. It's better this way than if we did have a relationship and then I hurt you."

I didn't believe that he could hurt me; why would he hurt me? He considered himself a monster, but I didn't believe that someone so perfect could possibly be a monster. I stared glumly at the floor, but then I had an idea; he said that I would forget him because nothing had happened between us, but I didn't want to forget him.

So quickly that I hoped it would take him off-guard I pressed my lips to his, just as he had done when I had been unconscious. If I had thought that that kiss was good, then I didn't know what I had been missing. This time, my head swam and I ran my fingers through his messy hair, throwing myself in at the deep end.

He pulled away quickly, too quickly, and then he sighed.

"What?" I asked, suddenly worried that he would scold me for kissing him.

"I… I don't want you to leave, but I know that it's right," he whispered.

"It's not right, Edward. I know that you won't hurt me. I trust you."

"Don't," he said gently, holding both of my hands in his.

Then he leant in and kissed me again. This kiss was more passionate, and more desperate than before, but not as enjoyable. There was too much tension… like we only had so much time left together.

"Bella, I'm going to go now," he said gently, as he finally pulled away.

"What?" I panicked, "No! No, don't go!"

"I'll come back when Renee and Phil are here; I'll help you to stay, okay?" he said.

"Do you promise?" I asked quietly.

"Goodbye, Bella," he said, "I'll see you later."

And then he was gone. He shot out of my window like a bullet. I watched as he disappeared into the misty rain, tears falling down my face again. I hadn't failed to notice that he hadn't promised, and I felt uneasy. Would he really come and help me? Only time would tell.

**Edward POV**

I ran as fast as I could all the way home, not wanting to stay there for much longer. I hadn't promised and I doubted that she had missed that. I refused to promise, because I would break it; I would hurt her.

It would be much better for her to go back to Arizona with her Mother. I couldn't afford to get any more attached and neither could she. She would forget me if she went, and that was what was best for her; to move on and spend her life with someone who deserved her. A normal human being, not a monster like myself.

I attempted to ignore the sadness that overwhelmed me as I realised that that had probably been the last time that I would ever see her. _Selfish, selfish, selfish_ I accused myself. I should not be sad to do the right thing for the person I loved. And if there had ever been any doubt about that, it had vanished now. Now that she was awake, my love for her seemed more intense, somehow. Now that I knew what she was like, I loved her even more. I couldn't believe that it was possible.

I had seen her beauty before her accident and when she was in hospital, in that bed. I felt my heart ache to think of how I had felt when there was a possibility that she wouldn't wake. That had been a hundred times worse than the current situation. Now, Bella would be alive, so I could live. As long as she was alive and happy somewhere, then I could live. If she were to die, then I couldn't live without knowing that she was alive.

I could live without her, if that was what was best for her, and living without her was what I was going to do.

**Bella POV**

The day dragged without Edward, but somehow it went fast as well. It was strange. I wasn't looking forward to Renee and Phil getting to Charlie's house, but that was when Edward would come back, so I wasn't sure whether I wanted it to come or not.

The hours passed and the anticipation and nervousness in my stomach increased as it did. Charlie hovered over me continually, worried that I still had concussion or something. He kept muttering about how stupid it was to let me out this early. He had told me that it was Phil that had told the doctors that it was pointless keeping me in because I was a drama queen. I hadn't minded Phil back in Arizona, but now that I had been living with Charlie, I noticed just how much I really hated the bastard. And how much he returned the feeling to me.

Eventually, I heard a car pull up outside and I looked out of the window. I felt my heart sink as I saw that it was Phil's car and not Edward's. Was he actually going to come at all?

"Bella?" Mum called as she came into the house. I ignored her and continued to stare out of the window. I heard footsteps on the stairs and I felt moisture burning my eyes as I realised that Edward wouldn't come. He had never promised because he had never intended to come. He didn't care at all, he didn't love me. He didn't want me to stay.

"Are you ready, honey?" Mum came to my side.

"Yes," I whispered, unwilling to fight. There was no point in staying here when Edward didn't want me. I couldn't fight when he didn't want me. I couldn't stay when he didn't want me. I couldn't feel when he didn't want me. I felt like I couldn't breathe when he didn't want me.

I let myself be dragged away without a fight, and got into the back of Phil's car without a word. Tears flooded down my face as Phil started the engine and we reversed down the drive and began to drive away. I realised that I had been holding onto one last shred of hope as I felt a fresh wave of disappointment flood through me along with a new load of tears. I watched Forks speed past the window as I left it behind until I could bear it no longer. I turned on my IPod, put it on shuffle and closed my eyes. The first song to come on was almost ironic.

"Well, Bella," Phil said over the introduction to "Breathe" by Taylor Swift, "Here we go again." Only I could hear the hate behind his words and I bit down on my lip so hard that I tasted blood, not succeeding in holding back the fresh tears that blended in with the old ones.

_I see your face in my mind as I drive away,_

'_Cause none of us thought it was gonna end that way._

_People are people and sometimes we change our minds,_

_But it's killing me to see you go after all this time._

_Music starts playing like the end of a sad movie._

_It's the kind of ending you don't really want to see._

'_Cause it's tragedy and it'll only bring you down._

_I don't know what to be without you around._

_And we know it's never simple, never easy,_

_Never a clean break, no one here to save me._

_You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand._

_And I can't breathe without you_

_But I have to breathe without you_

_But I have to._

It felt like my heart was breaking in two as I left Forks. As I left home. And as I left Edward behind forever.

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**Don't own Twilight or Breathe by Tayor Swift, but if you haven't heard that song, then head over to youtube. It's AMAZING.**

**So so sorry for the delay in updating guys. I really am. Think SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY WITH MORE SORRYNESS ON TOP and you get the idea. You see, there's this thing called a life (which I seriously lack) and I have to do other stuff as well. Also, sorry that there's no quote this chapter :(**

**God I am so terrible at this updating thing and I'm very sorry. Hows about if I promise you an Edward - or Jacob- if you swing that way ;) (which I most certainly DON'T might I add) - muffin?**

**Also, check out some of my favourite stories that are on my page. Some are seriously amazing. I would recommend "Wedding Cake", "Maria" and "You Got Love!". I know they're all human fanfics, but I used to dislike AH Twilight fanfics and these three are serious geniusness.**

**And a good story is on my fictionpress account (link on profile- wink, wink). It's called "Behind Closed Doors" and I promise you that it's okay. I accept anonymous reviews so… head over there and say hi! Please?**

**And another thing, if you feel like PM-ing me, I am a right chatterbox (as you can probably tell XD) so go right ahead.**

**Only one thing left. PLEASE REVIEW! The button, as I may have said before, isn't there just to look sexy, people. I can see you, you know, and I can see you going to exit this window… don't even think about it. I write these lovely stories for you; it is all I ask in return. XD Two words is absolutely fine. Let's make an aim of… 100 reviews for the whole story? Maybe. Because there are so many fanfics out there that have over 1000 and I'm like "And I can't even hit 70". I'm not sure how much left there is to go, but I believe in you people. Your feedback is also the motivation I have to keep going and I promise quicker updates if there are more reviews!! (I really am sorry about that :S)**

**So, that's about it for this novel of an author's note, and I doubt many people have actually read all of it. If you did, you can have an extra Edward muffin XD.**

**I love you all for the wonderful reviews so far, but please keep it up!!! We have a target now, let's (please) get there!**

**And those of you that read FI, yes this A/N is mostly copied from there :P. And if you haven't read it, feel free to check it out, you know?**

**Steph**

**(PS- sorry about the long A/N, but it had to be done… well, most of it did. Well, ok, hardly any of it did, but there you go XD)**


	7. A diamond and an accident

**Me? Own Twilight? I'm sorry, but what strange warped planet do you live on? The brilliant S.M. owns Twilight, guys, it's general knowledge. I DO OWN THE DVD NOW THOUGH!!!! (see A/N at the bottom). Enjoy:**

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**Edward POV**

I didn't have the strength to go home, as I had originally planned. I had got halfway there when I had to see her again, just watch her. I wouldn't let her know I was there, just seeing her would be okay. So I turned back and went back to Bella's house. I perched in a tree opposite her house and watched through her window as she spent the majority of the day moping, and the rest accepting phone calls (passed through Charlie) from various well-wishers and friends that were glad she was better.

It hurt me to see her face every time she tried to explain to all of her friends that she was leaving. Each of them reacted differently, some making Bella hurt more than others. I wanted to hurt the people that hurt Bella, so, so much that it was incomprehensible. But, as the day wore on, something dawned on me. None of these people had hurt Bella as much as I would later on, when I didn't turn up. All of the people that rang, without exception, had promised to visit Bella in Arizona. I couldn't even promise that. I hadn't promised it and I wouldn't promise it because it was not a promise I could keep. The only thing I could give her, and had already given to her, was my heart. But she didn't know that, and could never know that because it would make the separation easier.

I twiddled the present I had for her, but had not yet given her, in my fingers as I spied on her.

"Bella?" Charlie called her for lunch and she went downstairs, leaving the bags that Charlie had mostly packed for her in her bedroom. She had refused to pack, in the hope that she could stay behind, but I was glad that _someone_ had had the sense to get on and pack for her. Her mother wouldn't be happy if she wasn't ready to leave. She also wouldn't be happy if Bella made a scene so I hoped that she wouldn't wait for me for too long; I wasn't going to come.

As soon as she was downstairs and eating, I slipped through her window and un-zipped her bag. I stroked the diamond that was set into the necklace that was Bella's present before slipping it into a black velvet draw-string bag and putting that in a side pocket where I knew that it wouldn't be missed. Then, I took one last look around and slipped back out to my hiding place to watch for the rest of the afternoon.

**Bella POV**

"We're home, sweetie." Mum gently shook me awake when the car stopped outside my old home in Phoenix. My eyes flickered open and I already didn't like it back here. It was too hot, too dry. I sighed and got out of the car. I slung the strap of my bag over my shoulder and followed Mum inside the house that I had always seen as my proper home until recently.

"The rest of your stuff's in your bedroom," Mum told me, "Do you want me to come help you unpack?"

"No, Mum, it's fine," I sighed again and started up the stairs.

"Bella, I want to…" Mum started to insist, but Phil interrupted her.

"Renee, if Bella says she doesn't want help, then she doesn't want help. Just leave her. Come watch TV with me," he said. For once, I was grateful for the words that came out of his mouth. I realised that I had paused on my way up the stairs and carried on up. I dumped my bag on my bed and felt a new tear slide down my cheek.

As I wiped it away, I caught sight of myself in the mirror that was on my wall. I was a state; my hair was a mess, my eyes were red and puffy and I looked paler than usual. I balled my hands into fists and bit down hard on my chapped lip to stop the tears. This was ridiculous; I could not let this get to me. Just because Edward obviously didn't care about me as much as I had originally thought didn't mean that I should be this screwed up. I pushed him out of my mind and unzipped my bag.

I decided to unpack my CDs first so that I could listen to them whilst I unpacked the rest of my stuff. I opened the side-pocket where they were and dug around in the pocket for my collection of CDs. Suddenly, my hand brushed against something that I swore I hadn't put in there. I grabbed it and pulled it out.

It was a little velvet draw-string bag that I had never seen before. Was it a leaving present that Charlie had slipped in without me noticing? I tentatively pulled it open and stuck my hand inside it. I pulled out a necklace with a proper diamond set into it. I gasped and looked in the bag again. There was a note as well.

"_I love you. I'm sorry. Edward,"_ it read in his perfect writing. My new resolve crumbled immediately as tears spilled over and ran down my face. He did love me after all and, somehow, even though I was here and he was there, that one simple fact made everything better. That one simple fact, made the dim light at the end of the tunnel visible. That one simple fact gave me hope.

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I woke early the next morning due to the sun pouring through the gap in my curtains. I squinted into it sadly. Sun meant that I definitely wasn't in Forks anymore and, right now, I totally didn't want to be anywhere other than back in my room at Charlie's with Edward's arms round me. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine him there, but the sunlight ruined it, with help from my lack of imagination.

In the end, I got up much, much earlier than necessary, considering that Renee had decided that I wasn't to go to school. I searched through my wardrobe for something to wear to my old school anyway, deciding that whatever hell I would surely face there would be a hell of a lot better than sitting around here and wallowing.

The necklace was still hung around my neck after I had vowed never to take it off. It would stay there, a constant reminder of who loved me more than anyone else did. I fiddled with it as I ate my cereal, deep in thoughts and memories of Edward, obviously.

I pushed the soggy cereal round the bowl until I heard someone get up above me, when I tipped it down the sink and headed for the stairs to tell Renee that I was going to school and get the keys to my truck.

But it wasn't Renee that was up. As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw Phil watching me from the top. I forced a polite smile and started up the stairs at the same time he began to come down. Slightly above halfway up, I met him there.

"Why are you up so early?" he growled quietly. I was taken aback by the venom in his voice.

"Uh… Well, the sun woke me up so…" I shrugged.

"The sun woke you up?" he questioned suspiciously.

"Yeah. I've just lived for a while with almost no sunshine so it woke me. I've decided I'm going to school anyway. Will you tell Mum?"

"Of course I will Isabella," he sneered my name, and I flinched away, "Do you want me to tell her about how much you hate it here as well? How much you wish you could be back with the Dad that doesn't want you?"

"He does so want me," I argued.

"Well, why didn't he fight more to keep you in your beloved Forks?" Phil spat.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Exactly." Phil smiled smugly, "Of course you can go to school, Bella. Do you think we really want you here? We've only taken you in because your Dad was fed up with you."

"No he wasn't," I protested meekly; I was so losing this battle.

"Yes he was. While you were out he was always saying things like 'Will you take her Renee? She's so miserable, so boring to be around, so… just take her. Please.' Wouldn't let poor Renee rest till she accepted. You weren't wanted there and you're not wanted here."

Suddenly, I found my voice, "No one forced you to bring me. If you didn't want me that much, why didn't you just leave me there? It's not like you actually care what Charlie wants."

"No, but your Mum cares about what you want and he spun her some line about you wanting to be here," Phil retaliated.

"I didn't want to be here and now I definitely don't want to be here," I said, glaring at him as he glared at me.

"You ungrateful little…" he was lost for words and for a split second, I felt smug. But then, he reached out and hit me across the face. I gasped as his hand made impact with my cheek and, being the klutz I am, slipped and fell backwards down the stairs, hitting my head on the cabinet at the bottom. My head throbbed and I could feel blood seeping through a cut at the top and moisture burning my eyes. But I wouldn't cry; it would give him too much pleasure.

"Bella!" he cried, false shock colouring his tone. I bit down on my lip hard, trying to stop the tears from coming, but it didn't help; they spilled over anyway.

"What happened?" Renee called, the door to their room opening. I sat up and rubbed my head as I heard her gasp my name.

"She slipped, didn't you Bella?" Phil said, by my side now, taking one of my hands in his. I tried to pull it away, but he had my wrist in a firm grasp, "Didn't you, Bella?" he repeated, squeezing my wrist harder.

"Yeah," I lied, wiping away the tears with my free hand, "Yeah, I fell."

"Oh, Bella," Mum sighed coming down as well. Phil let go of my wrist and I rubbed it discreetly as he moved into the kitchen and Renee pulled me into a hug, "What are we going to do with you?" she said.

I opened my mouth to tell her, but then I caught sight of Phil watching us through the kitchen door. He shook his head at me and I shut my mouth again; telling Renee would probably not be a good move if I valued my life. I wondered what Edward would do if he were there, but then quickly pushed that thought out of my head. _That_ wouldn't be a good move if I valued my sanity.

"I want to go to school, Mum," I told Renee when I was sure that I could speak without my voice cracking.

"What?" she looked at me, "Honey, are you feeling okay?" she asked worriedly. I didn't blame her; I used to hate school here.

"I'm fine. I'll just clean my head and then I want to go," I said.

"Shouldn't we check that you don't have concussion first?" Renee bit her lip.

"No, Mum, I'm fine, honest. Not even a headache," I promised, although my head was starting to throb now.

"Okay. But let us drive you there, Bells," Mum compromised.

"Renee, I need the car to get to work," Phil called.

"Can't you just drop Bella off on your way?" Renee called back, "Please?"

"If I must. But be ready to leave in ten minutes," he sighed.

"Okay," I muttered, butterflies already settling in my stomach. This would not be fun.

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**Sorry to leave it there, guys. And sorry it was so short compared to the other chappies, but I mean, an update after, what was it 4 days? You have to admit that that is pretty good for me. Especially considering it is the Easter holidays now and I am actually busy with the life I thought I didn't have. One thing was my twilight party!!!**

**OMG!!!! I HAVE TWILIGHT ON DVD!!!! XD FREAKIN FINALLY!!!!! I love it!!! I had a party on the day it came out (Monday 6****th****- yesterday, people. If you haven't got it – why on Earth not?! – go get it quick!!! Mmm Edward Cullen XD I am SO team Edward. When I went to get it on DVD with my friend, we skipped all the way to the shops with linked arms singing "Edward Cullen, Edward Cullen, TEAM EDWARD! Edward Cullen, Edward..." Yeah you get the idea. IT WAS ONE OF THE BESTEST MOMENTS OF MY YOUNG LIFE. Yes, I really am THAT obsessed. Although only with actual Twilight, not Rob and Kristen. I mean, they're just people, why is everyone so obsessed with them anyways? It's not like Rob is even that hot. I can see where people are coming from when they think that, but still, everyone would fancy whoever played Edward Cullen anyway so… hmm. Feel free to debate this with me in the form of a review or PM. I'm a chatterbox. And so, so hyper at the moment.**

**Anyways, back to the story. What did you think? I don't really hate Phil, he was just there so I dragged him into it, ok?**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!**

**Steph**


	8. Threatened

**OH MY FREAKING CULLEN!!!!! GUYS!!!! I actually love you all to bits!!!! Nearly 100 reviews!!! I seriously love each and every one of you who reviewed. You can all totally have an Edward muffin or something. I am actually the happiest person!! XD I had aimed for 100 reviews over the whole story, not seven chapters, guys!!! Not that I'm complaining- please do keep it up. Seeing as I'm planning at least seven more chapters, shall we aim for 200 reviews by the end?? Oh my freaking Cullen that would be amazing. Also thanks to all of the people who PM-ed me. It's really nice to open up my emails and have a nice message from someone. A special shout-out to:**

**EdwardCullenLove25- haha I can't believe you actually went through and read it all again, but I love you for it anyways.**

**SleepThroughTheStatic- You can have a wet Edward/ Rob ;) for your lovely reviews and PMs. They make me laugh so much XD. I am watching that scene while I write right now, and my thoughts are just going "mmm... man, I love the rain... sorry, what? Yes, writing story. Go back and write story now, you weirdo :P" XD**

**EdwardAteJames'Cookie- Thanks for all the PMS. They do not annoy me at all. They are very funny actually and make me smile.**

**Actually just everyone who reviewed. I love you all. Totally. XD I know there are some fanfics out there that get like 1000 reviews and everyone's probably rolling their eyes and going like "100 is not really that many" but that's been my unrealistic (at the time XD) aim ever since I posted my first multi-chaptered fanfic and I've pretty much got it. I am so, so happy and I'll really try to add more chapters now. I really know where I'm going now, so hopefully more frequent updates.**

*****IMPORTANT*****

**Now that I've just waffled and probably bored you, if you read it, I have something important to say. An anonymous reviewer (sorry, I've forgotten the name and I don't have internet connection on my laptop so I can't check!) wrote something along the lines of "They took all her stuff back and now nothing's changed in Bella's room?" and I'm so sorry if that confused you guys. See, I have this all sorted in my head and I know what I'm talking about, but sometimes I screw up a little like that. **

**Basically, before Bella was in a coma, she wanted to go back to Phoenix but then Edward started talking to her and she changed her mind. But when Carlisle gave her parents permission to take her back to Arizona, they took all of her stuff to her Mum's house and put it all back in her old room. Phil didn't want to cart it all back to Forks so he let her come back to Phoenix. So all her stuff is pretty much like it was before she went to Forks. I hope that's less confusing now. If I put anything else that doesn't make sense, please tell me and I'll explain. Or try to.**

**Anyways, on with chapter 8:**

**Edward POV**

She was gone; gone forever. And I had to accept that, but every minute, every _second_, that she was away from me just made it harder.

After she had left, I went into the forest feeling empty. I didn't know what to do. My existence seemed pretty pointless without her, but thankfully, I knew she was somewhere, and that made me feel as though I had a purpose. It wasn't the same purpose I had always felt I had, not the purpose to live, but my new purpose was just to love her. As long as she was there for me to love, I had a purpose, but if she didn't exist, my purpose was non-existent.

I don't know how long I put off going home, how long I put off facing my family, but it was dark before I started to head back at human pace. I wondered if she had found my note yet and the necklace. I wondered what she had thought about it. I wondered if she even cared. Had I hurt her so badly that she'd just ignore it, chuck it away? I knew that I had hurt her pretty bad as I had watched the car drive away. Her tears hadn't stopped flowing and I wanted, more than anything, to go and wipe them away, but I couldn't. I couldn't hurt her. For a while, I had stuck to the trees and ran after the car, but eventually I had torn myself away from it. I knew that, if I followed her, I wouldn't come back. I'd end up staying with her in Phoenix and that couldn't happen any more than her staying with me in Forks.

As I went home, I thought things over. I needed a distraction so that I couldn't wallow too much. High school wasn't a good enough distraction, not when I'd repeated it already at least fifty times. Especially not when Forks High would only remind me of her. Even just thinking her name sent a tremor of pain through my body. Maybe now was time to move on from Forks. Move on from Bella.

"Edward?" Carlisle greeted me a little way away from the house.

"Yeah?" I answered gruffly, not looking at his face.

"Has she…?" he trailed off.

"Gone? Yeah," I sighed.

"I'm sorry son," Carlisle said.

"Don't be. It was for the best," I muttered although it hardly felt like the best now that Bella had taken half of me away to Arizona with her.

"Yeah." Carlisle nodded, but what did he know?

"Carlisle?" I hesitated.

"What is it?"

"I was wondering…" I paused, "If we could move somewhere new. And if I could work with you… in a hospital."

"We'll talk it over with the family. I'd be glad to go with you even if no one else wants to come, Edward," he said thoughtfully, "I think they'll all want to support you anyway, especially Esme, Alice and Emmett. Then you've got Jasper and Rose as well. We can go to Alaska; there's a good house in Juneau."

"Thanks," I murmured, embarrassed to be admitting my weakness.

"Edward, we don't mind doing what you want to do, as long as it's good for you." Carlisle patted me on the back as we got closer to the house, reminding me of my parents from when I was human.

"I know." But I didn't just want to do this, I needed to do this.

**Bella POV**

I grabbed my school bag from the bottom of the stairs and headed out of the door just behind Phil. I felt butterflies fill my stomach. After this morning, I really didn't want to spend any time alone with my step-father.

"Get in," he commanded, gesturing to the passenger door. I bit my lip and looked longingly at my truck before doing as I was told and clambering into the seat.

We drove in silence for a bit, but then he spoke.

"Isabella," he said quietly, "I want you to promise me that you will not tell a soul."

He didn't say what he didn't want me to tell anyone, but I understood. I nodded, my teeth hacking away at my lower lip.

"If you do, you won't know what's hit you. I'll make sure that you get a lot worse than a little cut on your head. Is that clear?" he growled menacingly as we pulled into the familiar parking lot of my old school.

I didn't reply.

He pulled the keys out of the ignition and glared at me, "I said, is that clear?" He grabbed my wrist and held it tightly. I whimpered quietly as he looked around the lot, making sure that it was clear, and then he dug the sharp key into the inside of my wrist, "Answer me!" he ordered as my wrist began to bleed.

"Yes!" I cried, trying, and failing, to pull my wrist away from his tight hold, "Yes it's clear! I won't say anything!"

"Good." Phil smirked and put the key back in the ignition, letting me go. I clambered out of the car as quickly as I could. A small sob bubbled up out of my throat as I inspected my bleeding wrist as I walked. The main artery didn't seem to have been punctured, thankfully. It wasn't a deep cut and the bleeding would probably cease soon; there was no need to tell anyone or get it seen to.

"And Bella?" Phil called through the window that he had wound down. I turned slowly to look at him, my eyes full of hot moisture that I refused to let out.

"I'll pick you up later to see how your first day went," he called kindly. I wasn't fooled, I knew that it was just a hint that he'd be back later to torture me some more. It also made the few kids now coming into the parking lot stare at me and smirk. Everyone knew who I was; Isabella Swan, the clumsy, weird, albino girl was back. I sighed and tried to cover my embarrassment as I went into the office where I knew the receptionist, Mrs Cooper, would look down her nose at me and sneer, just like the other kids.

"Oh. Isabella," she said as soon as she saw me; I was right, "You're back."

"Yes." I tried to be polite, but it was proving difficult, especially as I tried to hide my bleeding wrist in my other hand while she handed me various sheets and things that I didn't need. It was just like starting out at Forks High, just a lot worse because everyone here already knew me and there wasn't the novelty of me being a new student to help me fit in.

"You're back in your old class with Mrs Rogers," Mrs Cooper said, the sneer on her face becoming more pronounced.

"Okay, thanks." I took the timetable and other sheets from her, wanting to get out of the office quickly and went outside to sit in the sunshine that I now despised simply because it reminded me that I definitely wasn't in Forks anymore.

I hid around the corner behind building six so that I wouldn't attract stares as people drove into school. I didn't do anything but fiddle with my necklace for a while until a boy came around the corner.

"Oh," he said, seeming startled to find me there.

"Uh… hi," I said awkwardly, looking down and fiddling with my hands instead. Thankfully, my wrist had stopped bleeding now.

"Hey," he replied, hesitating, "Do you mind if I sit here?" he gestured to the empty bench beside me, "It's just I normally come here before class starts."

"Sure. Go ahead." I shuffled along the bench, "It is pretty quiet here."

"Yeah," he agreed, "So, you new here or something?"

"Kinda," I answered, "I did live here, then I moved away and now I've moved back again."

"I moved here last month so I don't recognize you from last time, I guess."

"No, I was away last month." Actually, last month I was just a week away from being hit by a car and going into a coma that would change my life forever, but I didn't feel like mentioning that.

"Where did you live?" the boy wondered. He had russet-coloured skin that seemed to shimmer like silk in the sun.

"Forks, Washington," I replied quietly.

"Oh!" the boy looked at me, "Really? My Dad lives in La Push. It's the Rez on the coast near Forks. Ugh, poor you. I can understand why you moved back. That's gotta be the rainiest place in continental U.S."

I stared at the boy in amazement, "Your Dad lives there?"

"Yeah. So did I until I moved here with my Mum and sisters."

"Ah. Divorced parents?" I wondered.

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Same," I sighed as well.

There was a long pause and then he suddenly held out his hand for me to shake, "I didn't introduce myself. My name's Jacob Black."

"Bella Swan." I grinned and shook his outstretched hand.

"Who's your form tutor?"

"Mrs Rogers," I sighed; she had never liked me either.

"Really?" Jacob raised an eyebrow at me, "I feel for you. Big time."

"Yeah. You should. Who do you have?"

"Mr Norton," he replied, "He's okay, I suppose. Better than Mrs Rogers."

I mumbled in agreement, but the noise was drowned out by the bell. Jacob and I both stood.

"Here goes," I groaned.

"See you." Jacob grinned at me and walked off waving over his shoulder. I groaned quietly to myself again and walked off in the other direction to fetch my books from my new locker where they had been put.

"Isabella Swan," Mrs Rogers greeted me as I walked into the classroom, "Late on the first day back. Not a good start at all, if I do say so myself." She sneered at me and then pointed to an empty seat, "Sit down."

"Sorry, Mrs Rogers," I mumbled, feeling the blood colour my cheeks as I hurried to my chair. I made the mistake of looking up from the floor for a split second and someone stuck out their foot, tripping me up. I stumbled and dropped all of my books on the floor while people around me tittered nastily.

"Isabella, is something wrong?" Mrs Rogers asked, "Now that you've arrived late could you settle down with as little fuss as possible. If you can't sit down and be quiet, I'll have to put you in detention."

I nodded meekly and picked up my books before sliding into my aligned seat. As Mrs Rogers began to read the notices, the girl next to me pulled on a strand of my hair.

"Hi _Bella_," she hissed, saying my name as if it were something unpleasant. As soon as I heard her voice, I knew that it meant trouble. I didn't have to look up to know that I was sat next to the meanest girl in the whole school. I didn't have to look up to see her baby blue eyes set into her pretty heart-shaped face. I didn't have to look up to see her shake her trademark long blonde hair over her shoulder and smile sweetly. I didn't have to look up to know that I was sat next to Leila Jones.

"Bella, are you not going to say hi?" she whispered.

I bit my lip and thought of my friends in Forks, and how I shouldn't care what ditzy cheerleaders like Leila think of me. It was my friends who mattered; Mike and Jessica and Angela and… Edward.

Suddenly, Leila leaned over and pushed all of the books I had just picked off of the floor back off my desk. The whole lot of them landed on the floor with a loud thud and everyone turned to look where the noise had come from. I flushed scarlet and bent to pick them up quickly.

I heard Mrs Rogers sigh and a lot of the class giggle.

"Yes, Leila?" Mrs Rogers asked kindly as I began to sit back up and saw that Leila had her hand in the air, the expression on her face sickeningly sweet; I knew that whatever she had to say wouldn't be good.

"I think Bella simply wants attention, Miss." Leila's baby-like voice rang with false sincerity, "She likes the attention she gets from moving around, I think, and she probably wants to introduce herself to the class properly."

"But the class already know her, Leila," Mrs Rogers pointed out, as though I wasn't there.

"I only said what she told me to, Miss," Leila lied. I gaped at her, shocked. Why had I never noticed how cruel this girl really was before?

"Very well, Isabella," Mrs Rogers said, "Come and stand up front and introduce yourself."

"Uh… I…" I stammered from my seat.

"Up front!" Mrs Rogers barked. I stood, my knees shaking, and walked slowly to the front of the classroom, careful not to trip.

"Uh… I'm Bella," I said quietly, "I… uh… moved back here from Washington… uh… that's all…" I stuttered, my cheeks an impossible shade of red, and then rushed back to my seat.

"Yes, thank you for that _brilliant_ insight to your life, _Bella_," Mrs Rogers said irritably.

Then the bell rang, signalling that we had to go to first lesson. I walked slowly out of the form room, trying to avoid people's stares that I felt burning into my back.

"Hey, Bella!" someone called. I turned round slowly to see Leila smiling at me, "You dropped this!" she said, coming over and handing me a notebook that I had dropped earlier.

"Uh… thanks," I said, confused as to why she was suddenly being nice to me.

"It's no problem," she smiled, "I can tell we're just going to be the best of friends," she gushed and then waved, "Bye Bella!"

I watched her go in confusion and then I opened up the notebook. The words 'I am a LOSER' had been scrawled on each page. Oh yeah, we were going to be the best of friends. I sighed and walked off to English, ready to begin the first day back in hell.

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**This chapter is very long, word wise at least, and this is a reward to you all for all of your lovely reviews. I seriously love you all, but I'm not going to go on about that again (see the top A/N).**

**I'm sorry that this chapter maybe wasn't the best one, but Jake had to be introduced and so did Leila.**

**Don't worry Jacob haters (including myself XD), this is totally not a JacobXBella story. I wasn't going to bring him in at all, but then I changed my mind. He won't be in it much though, but I thought that Bella needs one person in Phoenix that can be her friend, and who better than Jacob? Totally no romance there though. Well, not for Bella.**

**PLEASE NOTE: JACOB IS NOT A WEREWOLF/ SHAPESHIFTER/ WHATEVER. He is HUMAN in my story. Also, I know that Jacob's Mum is actually dead, but in my story she and Billy are divorced, ok?**

**Do you know what a lot of reviews make me do??? Write a lot really, really quick! Hence the fairly quick update (probably fastest yet!) and I have actually finished the next chapter as well, so you guys can have your quote back!!!! Here it is. Quote from Chapter 9 (oh and it's in EPOV):**

"_Edward, we both know why Bella's crying. She loves you and you love her. Just go and see her, _please_," Alice begged._

"_I can't," I whispered._

"_Why not?" Alice moaned, "What is it Edward? Your pride? Do you not really care for her at all? I find both of those excuses hard to believe."_

"_I can't… hurt her…" I put my head in my hands, guilt overwhelming me._

You already have, _she thought softly. Then she was gone._

**Okay. Now all that is left for me to say is THANKS AGAIN for all the reviews!!! Especially to the anonymous reviewers because I can't reply to you guys.**

**Now... everyone can have an Edward muffin if they review! Just press the sexy little button. One word is fine. Or you can have a wet Edward/ Rob ;) (don't ask).**

**THANK YOUU!!!! XD XD XD XD XD XD XD**

**Steph**


	9. The First Letter

**Disclaimer- Oh right. Yes I totally own it all. No I don't you plonker. I'm being SARCASTIC. *rolls eyes* It's called borrowing Edward, Bella, Alice and all the other peoples for a nice little fanfic.**

**And with that out of the way, enjoy chapter 9:**

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**Edward POV**

It was all sorted. The only one who was slightly opposed to moving to Alaska was Rosalie, unsurprisingly, and she had been outnumbered.

"If it's what Edward wants, we should do it," Esme had said.

"But what about what the rest of us want?" Rose had argued.

"Rose…" Carlisle cautioned unnecessarily; I could hear what she was thinking. She had no proper reason for wanting to stay in Forks; she just didn't want to move simply because I had fallen for 'a plain, human girl'.

Tomorrow, we were due to start our new lives; Carlisle and I were to be brothers working at the hospital and everyone else would resume the roles they had had in Forks.

I sat in the bay window of our new house. Esme was having the time of her life choosing colours and decor styles for each of the rooms. I sighed heavily and stared over the marshlands of Juneau, thinking only about the one person who had been the only thing on my mind for the past few days.

I was so deep in thought, that I didn't know I wasn't alone until she spoke: "Edward?"

I jumped and whipped my head round to see her stood in the doorway, "Oh. Hey Alice."

"Can I come in?" she asked quietly.

"Sure." I turned to look back out of the window.

_You're a state_ she thought sadly. I didn't make any sign to say that I had heard that thought.

"Edward," Alice sighed, coming over to sit next to me in the window, "Are you sure that you've done the right thing?"

"It's better this way, Alice," I answered.

"For who, Edward?" she snapped.

"Her." It hurt too much to say her name, even to think it.

"Edward…" Alice moaned, "You're a wreck and you've only been away from her for five days. Five days, Edward!"

"I can't ruin her life…" I whispered, but Alice interrupted me with her thoughts. She showed me a picture. It was of her. My beautiful Bella, crying. No, not crying, sobbing. She was curled up in the foetal position on her bed in Phoenix and was sobbing her heart out, her hand clutched around a necklace. My heart gave a jolt when I realised that it was the necklace that I had left for her. It had been my real mother's most treasured possession besides me, her son. But Alice didn't know this.

"She's crying herself to sleep, Edward," Alice told me sternly, "I see this everyday."

"But I…" I started.

"I know you told me not to look for her, but that doesn't mean I don't see. I was keeping tabs on her for a while when we were waiting for her to wake up. She won't just disappear from my visions; I'm too attuned to her. But I see this everyday, Edward, and you say that this is better for her?"

"It is," my voice was thick and I knew that I would be crying if I could be.

"No it's not!" Alice cried.

"Alice, you see what happens, you don't see why. For all we know, she's crying over something completely irrelevant," I pointed out, despite having seen the necklace in my angel's hand.

"What? Like she's got sunburn?" Alice said her tone full of heavy sarcasm, "Edward, we both know why Bella's" – she ignored my flinch – "crying. She loves you and you love her. Just go and see her, _please_."

"I can't," I whispered.

"Why not?" Alice moaned, "What is it Edward? Your pride? Do you not really care for her at all? I find both of those excuses hard to believe."

"I can't… hurt her…" I put my head in my hands, guilt overwhelming me.

_You already have_.Then she was gone.

**Alice POV**

I swept out of the room. Why wouldn't he listen to me? Bella was hurting so much without him and he was convinced that he would hurt her more. I had seen her crying. I had seen the girls at her school pushing her around. I had seen the way she sat at her empty desk in Biology and stare at the seat next to her, her eyes swimming with un-cried tears. I had seen the way she always fiddled with that rock around her neck, every second of every day. I had seen how she hid in her bedroom and cried.

And he thought that she was better off without him. He was very clearly deluded.

**Bella POV**

It went on like that for days. My first day had been crappy, and it hadn't got any better. Leila continually sniped at me and all of the teachers were blissfully unaware of it.

At home, Phil did the same. He told me how unwanted I was, both here and in Forks. The cut on my wrist was going to scar over for sure and I had numerous bruises both from falling down the stairs and other times when he had gotten close enough to stage his 'accidents'. Just like the ignorant teachers, Renee rolled her eyes and promised me that I'd get over my clumsy stage. And I was forbidden to tell anyone, if I valued my life.

And, on top of all of this, I had to sit at an empty desk in Biology. I had tried desperately to drop it, all to no avail. Sitting there at the black-topped lab tables, just like the ones back in Forks, by myself and studying phases of mitosis alone was the worst thing I was facing.

"Bella?" Jake interrupted my chain of thoughts. He was the only good thing about Phoenix; he was my only friend. We ate together every day at lunch, but didn't have any classes together. He was the one person I could have trusted with all of my secrets. Could have, but didn't.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. We were sat outside in the sunshine and it was Friday. I had been here in Phoenix for a week and five days now. And I certainly wasn't settling in.

"I…" I hesitated, wondering whether to tell him the truth. Whether to tell him about the shit I was getting at school, or the abuse I was suffering at home, or the depression I was dying of inside, "Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, looking at the ground.

"Double Bio next?" he checked.

"Yeah," I said with a sigh. It was no secret to Jake of my hatred of Biology, but he couldn't understand why I hated it so much. I had a nice teacher and I was good at it. But he didn't know about _him_. About how sitting at an empty Biology table reminded me of him. About how much I loved him. How much I missed him.

"Why do you always do that?" Jake nodded his head at me.

"What?" I looked down at myself.

"That necklace. Whenever you're deep in thought or something, you always play with it. You never leave it alone," he said.

"I don't know," I fibbed.

Then the bell rang.

"I'll see you on Monday," Jake said as he stood up.

"Yeah." I nodded as he helped me to my feet, "Thanks. See you."

I made my way slowly to Biology, my feet dragging as I tried to justify skiving to myself. But I was too much of a good girl to do that. Besides, I'd probably run into someone I don't want to. I sat in my seat miserably. The only good time in my whole day had passed now.

I stacked my books up and got ready to spend the next two hours in my head, as I always did in Bio. I had already covered most of the stuff we did in this class because I had been in an advanced placement before. However, this school had some sort of stupid regulation that the student has to have attended for at least a term before they can be moved into an advanced placement.

While the teacher, I hadn't bothered to learn his name, prattled on about cellular anatomy, I doodled aimlessly on the front of my notebook. Suddenly, I had an idea. I opened my notebook and penned a single word at the top of the page. I couldn't actually tell anyone anything that was happening to me, but neither Phil nor Leila had specified writing letters that would never be sent.

I looked down at the single word I had scrawled on the page and pursed my lips.

_Edward _it read. I took a deep breath and started to write.

_I feel really stupid writing this when I never intend for you to actually read this, but I need someone to talk to, and you're the only person I want to talk to. I know that if you were here, you'd help me. But you're not here and you can't help me, so hopefully this will help instead. On TV and stuff counsellors always say that telling someone how you feel makes you feel better, so I'm telling you._

_How do I feel? Well, I guess, firstly I feel kinda alone. Phoenix is horrible. I hate it so much and I miss Forks. I miss my friends, I miss Charlie, and, most of all, I miss you. I'd prefer to be back in a coma just so long as I can hear your voice again. My imagination isn't a patch on you at all. I just… I don't know._

_I'm writing this in Biology right now. I just can't stand this place at all. It's horrible, Edward. If only you were here, this place would be that much better. If you were here, maybe Leila would leave me alone. You could be the person I told everything to. I know that you love me, so why aren't you here? Why aren't you helping me? I'd help you. I love you. More than you could ever imagine. You're the one person I think I can trust at the moment, even though you're not here. But I know that you're somewhere. You must be because you have my heart. I know you do because I certainly don't. It's like you've torn it out and taken it where you are. But I don't miss my heart at all. Not compared to the pain that is missing you._

_Love you forever,_

_Your Bella_

_XXX_

I bit down hard on my lip to stop the tears from spilling. Everything I had written was true. And every word I wrote was like another tear to my heart.

But that was how it started. From then on, every spare moment I had was taken up by writing to Edward. I told him everything and every letter finished with '_Love you forever. Your Bella.' _And three kisses. And when I was with Edward in my head, I was happy.

But I should have known that the happiness wouldn't last and reality would take over.

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**Aw poor Bella.**

**Thank you guys so much for all of your lovely reviews. The general feeling is "I hate that *** Phil" XD. I know; you're not supposed to like him, guys. But I like hearing it anyway; it means I've fulfilled my duty as a writer. And I'm also sorry to those people who don't like it for putting Jake in the story, but he is needed and he won't be in it too often. Only for the next two chapters and then maybe one later on. He's totally not a big part in the story, I promise.**

**AND I have the next chapter ready again!!! You guys should be very, very proud of me. Remember I posted this THE DAY AFTER I posted chapter 8! So be proud, ok? I am. XD Although everything that happens in my Easter holidays has happened now and I'm not busy till Tuesday now, so I have had the time to write it, I guess. Will be a different story when I realise that I should be getting on with my Food Tech Coursework (which I really should. Meh, so I procrastinate. So what? :S)**

**Yes. Quote:**

_We walked through the rain to my truck where he pushed me in the front seat and got in the passenger seat beside me. His face was furious._

"_What?" I asked, my voice quiet, "What is it, Jacob?"_

"_Who's Edward?" he wondered, his voice gentle. Wow, that was unexpected._

"_How do you know about him?" I asked in amazement._

"_He gave you the necklace, didn't he?"_

"_Well, yeah, but how did you know…?" I looked down, averting his gaze, and fiddled with my now broken necklace, waiting for him to answer._

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. More than 110 reviews. I knew we could do it. Okay. This time, I'm going to be mean. I'm not going to update until I get 15 more (is that too many? Ok, I might settle for 13) reviews. This isn't that many. I got 11 on the last chapter. If you just read this and don't review, don't you think it would be nice? As I have said before, reviews are totally my brand of heroin. XD**

**Thanks**

**Steph**


	10. Discovered

**Chapter 10- Discovered**

**Disclaimer- Edward, Bella, Alice, Jacob… blah blah blah... they all belong to SM. Seriously guys, where would we be without her? Well, not reading or writing this, that's for sure… so be thankful!**

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**Bella POV**

Every letter I wrote to Edward I put in a shoebox that I hid at the bottom of my wardrobe, knowing that he would never read a single word, never receive a single letter. He would never, and could never, know any of the things I revealed to him from the depths of my heart. I ended up telling him everything, including the things Phil did to me and the torments I got at school. Even little things like how sad the sun made me because I knew I wasn't in Forks, how the only thing I looked forward to everyday was lunch with Jacob and, of course, how much I loved him.

Edward was the only thing I could believe in now. My friends, as Phil had pointed out, never called or emailed and I was beginning to think that they had only befriended me because of my inexplicable popularity when I had first started at Forks High. Charlie rarely called as well, claiming to be busy. I was beginning to feel even lonelier in this strange new life.

I had been in Phoenix for almost four weeks and the shoebox full of letters was close to over-flowing, but I didn't stop. I pulled into school one morning half an hour early. It was the first time since I had moved back that it had rained in Phoenix. This made me feel even more miserable than the sun did. I leant over and took a sheet of paper and a pen from the glove box and began to write.

_Edward,_

_It's raining here in Phoenix. I know, I'm surprised too. It reminds me of Forks so much and makes me miss you even more. Mike and Jessica have stopped writing completely now and even Angela's emails don't come very often. She says that they all miss me, but I don't think it's true. I'm beginning to think that Phil is right. He told me that they don't really like me, they just wanted the popularity that came with befriending a new girl, which could be true in Jess' case, but I'm surprised that Mike would do that._

_Jake's still being nice as ever, but he doesn't understand anything. He doesn't miss La Push at all. Or his Dad, come to think of it. He says he much prefers being here in the sun, but I hate it. It's too hot and moist; I'd much rather drink water than inhale it. And I'd rather be with my Dad. He's much kinder than Phil and much less ignorant than Renee. I'm sure he'd get suspicious; even I couldn't acquire this many bruises in this short amount of time. I didn't even bruise up that badly when I got hit by a van, for crying out loud!_

_But he still won't let me say anything, obviously. He's moved on now, sensing that his threats weren't getting to me as much anymore. He's threatened to start on my Mum now, and I can't let him do that to her. She doesn't deserve it._

_And Leila's not being any nicer. Her snubs are easier to deal with than Phil's crap, but some of the things she says hurt. Sometimes, it's not physical stuff that hurts the most, you know? Bruises fade and heal, but some words will haunt you forever. Make you paranoid._

_Oh, God, why is my life so messed up? It's like I'm stuck in a dark tunnel. I thought that I could see the end when I got your necklace, but now I'm sure that it was a mirage. This tunnel is never ending and I just can't keep going. I'm becoming a lifeless zombie, I know I am, but I can't stop it. It's this depression, sucking away at me. Like a dementor in that Harry Potter book. If I didn't know that you were out there somewhere, I don't think I could survi…_

Suddenly someone tapped on the passenger side's window, making me jump. I leant across and opened the door, letting Jake in out of the rain.

"Hey Jake," I greeted him, sitting on the letter I had just written.

"Sheesh," he sighed, slamming the door behind him, "I thought we moved _away_ from the rain, huh?"

"Yeah, well, we did, I guess. This is the first bit of rain we've had in four weeks," I pointed out, "They get rain practically everyday back in Forks."

"Yeah, I guess," Jacob admitted. We were silent for a minute, gazing out of the windows, but then Jake said: "Why are you here Bella?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" I looked at him to see him staring at me, concern in his dark black eyes.

"Who are you trying to kid, Bells?" he asked, "You're miserable here, anyone can see it, especially me. I see the way you're hurting but I don't know why. You're always tucked away so deep inside yourself and you never tell anyone what's wrong, although it seems I'm the only one around here who actually cares. But, believe it or not, Bella, I care for you. You're like my best friend round here and I don't want you to be upset anymore. Why don't you just move back to Forks? It's clear that that's where you want to be."

"I'm fine," I lied.

"Dammit, Bella!" he shouted, "Stop saying that! I know you're lying to me. I _know_ you're totally not fine, Bella. I'm not asking why. If you want to tell me why, then you can, but I'm not going to force you. I'm just telling you to stop lying pointlessly. I know you're not happy here and I want you to be happy, okay?"

"Okay, so I'm not fine," I admitted, raising my voice a bit, "But that doesn't mean that you can tell me how to live my life!"

"I'm not telling you how to live your life!" Jake cried in despair, "I'm giving you advice! I can see what you want, Bella!"

"And what's that?" I asked.

"You want to go back to Forks. I'm not sure why you like it so much there, but it looks like you want to be back there."

"No, Jake, that's not what I want," I sighed, "I just want a quiet life. I just want… yeah, I do want to be back in Forks, because it's a hell of a lot better than here!" I opened my door and got out, slamming it behind me, not bothering to lock the truck. It was unnecessary anyway; who would want a rusty pile of junk like that?

Tears stung my eyes as I rushed to registration, already late. Mrs Rogers yelled at me, and I nodded, accepting my detention next week after school. I didn't care. I slipped into my seat and Leila immediately started up the snubs. I ignored that as well. Nothing mattered anymore. Jake was right; I just wanted to be back in Forks.

The rain was still tipping down at lunch and I wasn't sure that I was on speaking terms with Jacob, so I stayed in the form room to eat, burying my nose in Wuthering Heights again. I didn't want to eat in the presence of Leila and her friends, but it didn't look like I had a choice.

Unsurprisingly, Leila came over to me almost immediately and snatched my book away.

"What you reading?" she asked rudely, "Oh, Wuthering Heights. Teachers pet," she sniffed throwing the book to the other side of the room. She turned to smirk at me, "Fetch," she commanded in a sing-song voice. Her friends laughed cruelly.

I did as I was told and went to pick up the book, only to come back and find that they had taken my lunch.

"Leila," I sighed, "Can I have my lunch back?"

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

"What?" I looked down at where she was looking and froze. I had been stupidly, absent-mindedly fiddling with my necklace.

"Can I have a look?" Leila wondered reaching out her hand.

"No," I answered, tucking the necklace inside my blouse.

"Give it to me," she ordered.

"No."

"Bella, give it to me!" she cried, reaching out and grabbing it anyway. She pulled hard and the necklace snapped, hurting my neck. I flinched, but ignored the pain, jumping up to take it back from her.

"Give it back," I hissed.

"Why should I?" Leila sang smugly, playing with it, "Where did you get it anyway? There's no way you could afford something like this. Stole it, did you?"

"It was a gift," I shot back.

"What? From your Dad?" she snorted, "Nobody you know could afford something like this either. They must have stolen it." Ice shot through my veins? Had Edward stolen the necklace? _Would _Edward steal a necklace?

"Exactly," Leila sniffed when I didn't reply.

"Please?" I whispered, "Please, Leila, please give it back," I begged. This seemed to take her by surprise as she saw the true sadness in my face, the true pain in my expression.

"Give it back to her," a new voice instructed from behind me. I whipped round at the sound of his voice.

"Jake," I breathed.

"Give it back to her, Leila." He paid no attention to me and walked straight past me to Leila, "Unless you don't want to live to see another day."

"Jeez, I was joking," Leila muttered, throwing the necklace at me. I cupped my hands and caught it neatly.

"I was gonna give it back anyway," Leila said, embarrassed as Jake took one of my hands and led me out of the now silent classroom.

"Thanks, Jake," I whispered as soon as we were out. He shut the door behind us and took me outside. We walked through the rain to my truck where he pushed me in the front seat and got in the passenger seat beside me. His face was furious.

"What?" I asked, my voice quiet, "What is it Jacob?"

"Who's Edward?" he wondered, his voice gentle. Wow, that was unexpected.

"How do you know about him?" I asked in amazement.

"He gave you the necklace, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah, but how did you know…?" I looked down, averting his gaze, and fiddled with my now broken necklace, waiting for him to answer.

"This is sick, Bella." He shook a piece of paper at me, his voice disgusted. I recognized it as the letter I had written this morning in my truck. Oh crap. In my annoyance I had forgotten all about it and left it on the seat. But that didn't explain why he thought that it was sick.

"I was never gonna send it…" I started, but he cut me off with a shake of his head.

"No, Bella, not the actual letter. That's not sick at all. It's what's _in_ the letter that's sick," he said, and then paused, staring at me, "Your step-dad abuses you?" he whispered.

I shrugged, not trusting myself to speak.

"Bella, you have to tell somebody," he said.

Now that made me cross, "Tell somebody? Jake, did you not read that thing? He said…"

"That he'll hurt your Mum, I know. But Bella, he can't do that. It's just a threat. If you told someone, he wouldn't have a chance to do that. And he won't really. Your Mum would tell someone, wouldn't she? And what threat does he have for her? Nothing. He's been putting ideas in your head, Bells. Of course your friends in Forks like you, they're just a bit busy. Angela still emails doesn't she?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"And the thing about the telling. Why can't you tell anyone? He's not gonna do anything, Bella. Just report him."

"Jake, I can't…" I began.

"Bella, you have to. If you haven't reported him by Monday, I will," he threatened.

I didn't say anything. I felt overwhelmed. Jake wanted to help me, but how could he? He didn't understand what it was like. He didn't understand. He just didn't.

"I understand, Bells," he whispered. Suddenly there was a strange strangled noise, like someone choking.

"Bella, it's okay. You'll be okay." Jacob put his arm round me and only then did I realise that I was sobbing uncontrollably. Okay was far from what this was.

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**(Just for the record, I don't own Harry Potter either.)**

**OH MY CULLEN. Thank you guys so, so much. I was like "Hmm. Let's check up on my story" and I went on to find that I had 127 reviews!!!!! Guys, seriously. I am happier than an optimist on happy pills!!!! Happier than that -- XDXDXD. I never actually dreamed that I would get 15 reviews for one chapter and I got 17!!! Thank you so, so much.**

**Oh and that's the last of Jake for a very long while. Seriously, there'll be more Edward before there's more Jacob. TEAM EDWARD!!!**

**Quote: (wow this is amazing- how long am I going to be able to keep this up?!)**

"_I'm going to kill you so you can't breathe another word, and then your little friend will come to the same sticky end," Phil told me and I trembled with terror. Why hadn't I listened to Jake while I had the chance? _Oh, please Edward, save me_, I begged in my head._

**Sorry it's a short quote, but the next chapters a pretty big one. Not word-wise. It's fairly short word-wise, but it's an important chapter, let's leave it at that.**

**Another thing is that, in the next few chapters, there will be a lot more Alice POV and maybe one Jasper POV. How do you feel about the Jasper POV? I can't really change the Alice (and I like her anyway, so I wouldn't!) but I don't have to do the Jasper, I just thought I might throw it in for you guys if you want it. I can do it in Edward's if you'd prefer that, but I've already done that (don't worry there will be more) and I want to do something fresh.**

**Please review guys and you can totally have a wet robward (sleepthroughthestatic ;)) or a (virtual) chocolate brownie or something. Updates come quicker when you review ;) One word is fine. Let's really push the boat out this time. Can we get 20 reviews for one chappie? Aim big. If everyone who reads chips in, it's easily done. Please? Just put "Is good." Or something. Pretty, pretty please?**

**We can so do it (I hope). Hint: If I get a lot of reviews, I'll definitely update tomorrow. That's a promise.**

**Thanks**

**Steph**


	11. White Horse

**Disclaimer- Don't own Twilight or White Horse. Am not worthy of such brilliance.**

**Guys. This is just not funny anymore. 147 reviews???!!! Thank you so, so much!!!!! That was 20 reviews for one chapter. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! And because you were all so very, very nice, I am updating now. So? You may think. So I have been out all day and totally cannot be bothered to sit here and reply to all your reviews, but you know what? I am totally going to!**

**Enjoy:**

_Cos I'm not a princess,_

_This ain't a fairytale._

_I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet,_

_Leader of the stairwell._

_This ain't Hollywood,_

_This is a small town._

_I was a dreamer before you went and let me down._

_Now it's too late for you and your white horse to come around._

- White Horse, Taylor Swift

**Edward POV**

Working at the hospital with Carlisle was indeed a distraction, just as I had hoped, but when I wasn't working my mind was free to think about her and what Alice had both told me and shown me about her.

Then, one Friday, I was given the task of working on a new ward with a new patient.

_Isabelle Burrows_ the name read on the sheet. I didn't read anymore about her accident. I would wait until I got to her room. A pang went through me when I read her name. It was too similar to the name of my angel.

"Edward, are you sure that you can treat this patient?" Carlisle asked as he read through the sheets of paper I had been given.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be able to?" I wondered, looking at him. As long as I didn't have to write her name over and over again and the girl didn't like to be called Bella, I should be fine.

"Okay, son." He passed me back the papers and I tucked them under my arm before leaving the office I shared with my father and going off to find this Isabelle. Ward 13. I adjusted the stethoscope around my neck **(A/N- who else thinks that Edward would be a totally hot doctor?!) **and went to the room.

"Right," I said as I swept into the room, ready to greet the girl. But what I saw froze me to the spot and I suddenly understood what Carlisle had meant. Isabelle Burrows was in a coma. I looked down at the sheets again and read the circumstances. She had been hit by a car and was in a coma. The doctor she had previously been treated by was unsure as to whether she would wake or not.

I moaned quietly and sat on one of the plastic chairs by the end of the bed. This just showed how bad I was really suffering. This shouldn't hurt this badly, not almost four weeks after our separation. It would be four weeks on Sunday, in two days. Alice had spent every moment trying to get me to change my mind, but I had stuck by my decision and left Bella alone.

Alice had shown me picture after picture of Bella crying and clutching at the necklace, although she still didn't know how relevant the necklace was. It had been my mothers and I gave it to her. I surprised myself with this gesture, but it was worth it. Now I avoided Alice as much as possible and yelled at her when she tried to show me something Bella related. As a result of this, our house was tense and unhappy. Esme was distraught at how much Alice and I argued, considering how well we had got on before this. Now Alice was convinced that I was wrong and I was convinced entirely otherwise. I could see that this was something we would never agree on, however hard one of us tried to convince the other.

**Alice POV**

I gazed out of the window in my classroom, deep in thought. He was blind. Completely and utterly blind if he didn't see how much he was hurting her. How much she was hurting. I wouldn't have watched her so carefully if I hadn't seen how upset she was in the first place. And, recently, I had been getting a lot more flashes of her life. They were always pretty much the same though. It was just Bella crying, sobbing. I never saw the catalyst to her tears, but I was pretty sure I could guess, especially now that she had started writing to him.

I had had a flash of it when she was at school. I saw her scrawl his name at the top of a blank page and begin to write to him. I rarely got to see what she actually wrote, but I saw her scribbling away frequently. One of the few things that I gathered from what she wrote was where she got the necklace from. When I discovered that, I knew that, if I could cry, I would have. He must be hurting pretty bad. I had thought that I recognised the necklace from somewhere, but I had never dreamt of where she had actually got it from. When I read in her messy writing the messed up thanks for it, I had gasped aloud, remembering that the diamond necklace had been Edward's only possession he had from when he was human; the best thing his mother owned apart from her very own son.

He didn't know that I knew. He also didn't know about the letters. I had tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen. Whenever I brought her up, he'd snap at me, yell at me. He purposefully avoided me now and that saddened me. How could the one member of the family I'd always felt closest to (apart from Jasper) suddenly hate me just because I was trying to help him?

I wasn't the only one who felt this way. Esme was incredibly upset that we couldn't just get along and be happy as we always had been. And because Esme was upset, Carlisle was as well. And because all four of us were upset, so was Jasper. Emmett and Rose were the only ones who seemed unaffected by the depression that our home was full of right now.

Suddenly, I had a new vision. Bella was in the kitchen, what I presumed would be tomorrow morning, frying eggs. Suddenly, her step-father appeared behind her. Bella bit her lips anxiously and then, her step-father grabbed her wrist and held it against the hot metal, pressing his other hand over her mouth to stop her crying out in pain. I gasped and stood up. Had I been missing something vital in my visions?

"Alice?" the teacher peered at me suspiciously, probably wondering why I had suddenly jumped to my feet in the middle of class.

"Uh… I don't feel well," I mumbled and dashed out of the room before she could question me. Was there something else happening to Bella in between all of the crying for Edward? _Was_ she even crying for Edward? What else had she told him in those letters that I had missed? I didn't know the answers to any of my own questions, but I knew that waiting for Edward to realise his mistake wasn't working. The time had come to take matters into my own hands.

**Bella POV**

Saturday was hellish. I 'accidentally' burnt myself on the frying pan at breakfast and then also 'accidentally' shut my leg in the car door while washing it. Renee sighed and rolled her eyes, but also said that she was worried about me and did I need to see someone about my clumsiness. I told her not to worry.

As soon as I had managed to get away from forcibly doing chores with Phil ("Oh, isn't he _kind_ to help you like that, Bella?" Renee had gushed), I went up to my bedroom and pulled out my box of letters. I ripped another sheet out of my exercise book and began to write yet another one.

_Edward._

_Jacob knows. He knows about you and he knows about Phil and he knows about Leila. He knows everything. He wants me to report Phil to the police and he said that, if I don't, he will. I don't want Jake to get involved. He's been too good to me for me to repay him like this. He says that Phil's threats are empty and he doesn't really mean them, but he does. I know he does. He's not scared of Renee and he would hit her. He'd hurt her bad, especially because she thinks that she can trust him. That's why I can't tell her. I can't tell her anything._

_But I can tell you. That's why I do this. You're still the only person I can trust with the truth. Not even Jake knows how truly bad it is. When will I get to see you again? I desperately want to, but I don't think I ever am. If I was holding out hope to see you again, I think that you would have come by now. If you knew what was happening to me, maybe you'd come and save me. Because you're not bad, I know that much. I also know that you don't think that, but you are good, Edward. Truly and honestly good. There are much worse people than you. People like Phil. And you think that you're a monster? Edward, I swear you see things backwards._

I sighed and paused from writing for a second. My back was resting against my wall, my shoebox full of letters next to me on the thin carpet. It was really quite comfortable here. I felt my eyelids drooping and I didn't fight it. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that I should hide the letters before I fell asleep, but I was too far gone to actually do it. So I slipped into a deep slumber, the letters beside me.

And that was quite possibly the worst mistake of my life.

I was roughly shaken awake a couple of hours later.

"Bella, wake up!" a voice hissed in my ear. My eyes flickered open and I already felt scared. It was Phil's voice. And it sounded furious.

"What have you done?" he growled, gesturing towards the letters that were now scattered across the floor.

"I was never going to send them," I whispered, the fear in my stomach increasing as I saw how mad he really was. I was in for it this time.

"I know. But just writing this crap is bad enough. What if someone had found it? HUH?" he yelled, "What would you have done then?" He grabbed my shoulder and squeezed down on my pressure point. I whimpered, knowing that screaming would just make it worse.

"I… I don't know!" I cried, struggling in his grip.

"But your friend knows, doesn't he? This Jacob? You prat!" he roared, "Just couldn't keep your mouth shut could you, you little piece of…" he dropped me and I fell to the floor with a shriek before he spat at me.

"Do you know what I'm going to do?" he put his face close to my own and growled menacingly.

I shook my head, too terrified to speak.

"I'm going to kill you so you can't breathe another word, and then your little friend will come to the same sticky end," Phil told me and I trembled with terror. Why hadn't I listened to Jake while I had the chance? _Oh, please Edward, save me_, I begged in my head.

"I don't know why you even bothered to write this, to be honest, Bella." He stood again and picked up the first letter he came across. Then he tore it, ripping it to little pieces. He repeated this with every letter he came across as he continued to talk to me, "This Edward doesn't love you anymore than I do. Why would he? He's probably just a figment of your imagination anyway. But, I've got news for you, Isabella; even your imagination doesn't like you. Nobody likes scum like you." He kicked me as he shredded the last of the letters and I sobbed quietly.

"Now," he growled looking at me and bending over to pick something up off of the bed. I gasped when I saw what it was.

"Say goodbye, Bella," he smirked. The afternoon sunshine poured through a gap in my curtains and glinted off of the sharp kitchen knife, blinding me in little rays as Phil advanced on me slowly. Then I only felt severe pain as the knife cut through my right shoulder and blood soaked my blouse.

I screamed out in agony, but then went silent as I felt my eyes begin to roll into the back of my head. The pain was excruciating, but through it I heard one last thing before I blacked out completely.

Someone screaming, shrieking, crying. They only called one word, but it was enough. Someone loved me. But it wasn't enough to make me wish I wasn't dying. I didn't care that I was dying. At least I wouldn't have to live anymore.

"Bella!" was the last word I heard the person shriek as I slipped into the darkness. And that was it. I was gone.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Hey, guys, is that the worst cliffy yet or what??? Okay. Firstly, I'm sorry to leave it like that. And I'm sorry it it's so short as well, but, to make up for it, the next chapter's pretty long, okay? If I get reviews I'll put it up tomorrow ;)**

**Quote:**

_It was only a matter of time before Edward realised how much he needed to be with Bella and went back to her… even if he needed a little persuasion…_

"_I will _never_ do that," he hissed, baring his teeth at me, "She's better off without me. She doesn't need a monster like me in her life. She doesn't want it." With that, he took off out of the window. He always did that whenever he needed some time to think without others thoughts intruding. He's run off somewhere and sit for hours on end sobbing tearlessly or thinking. Just thinking._

**And yes, it's in Jasper's POV. I decided to totally go for it. You can read the whole thing in the next chappie and you will have to tell me what you think.**

**As usual, this is the part where I beg for reviews. I'm not going to do a huge paragraph for this chapter because (hopefully) you've read all of the others and know how much these reviews mean to me and you also know how thankful I am for all the reviews I get. Do you know what I'd love? I'd love to hit 200 for this, maybe even before the end? We can do it. Fingers crossed.**

**Also, the song quote thing at the start- do you like that?**

**Steph**


	12. Way Back Into Love

**Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight or its characters and I don't own Way Back Into Love either. Although I do really, really love this film and if you haven't seen it, you should!!!**

**Oh, and I just want you to know that this may not be the best song for the chapter, but it was really hard to find a song for this one considering that there are three people's POVs. But I love this song and I guess Bella's hoping Edward will be there for her. I dunno. Tell me what you think.**

_All I want to do is find a way back into love,_

_I can't make it through without a way back into love_

_And if I open my heart again,_

_I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end._

_There are moments when I don't know if it's real_

_Or if anybody feels the way I feel._

_I need inspiration,_

_Not just another negotiation._

- Way Back Into Love, from the film Music & Lyrics

**Alice POV**

"I can't stay anymore, Carlisle," I told him the following morning. I was furious with myself inside for not seeing what was happening to Bella before now. Everyone else was hunting; I had insisted that I wasn't thirsty, but I think that Edward, at least, saw through me. Carlisle had agreed to stay with me.

"Why not? Where are you going, Alice?" he asked suspiciously.

Why not? Because Bella was being abused, Bella was suffering. It was only a matter of time before the abuse got out of hand and I _had_ to stop it. I didn't know why my visions hadn't been picking up the abuse before, but this morning I had had a terrifying vision of Bella in a hospital, unconscious, and I strongly suspected that it was Phil's fault. It had taken me longer than it should have to realise that Bella wouldn't stay in Phoenix for long. She would be back in Forks by next week. And so would I. But Carlisle couldn't know this.

"I don't like causing all of this sadness. I don't want to stay in a place where the misery is my fault," I lied.

"You don't have to leave, Alice. If you don't like it, talk it over with Edward, just don't leave. Please," Carlisle begged, and then tacked on: "It's not just your fault."

"Carlisle, I don't want to cause a scene by leaving, that's why I've come to you instead of brining it up in hearing distance of the whole family," I said.

"I don't want you to leave any more than anyone else does. Esme will be distraught if you leave and Edward… Edward will be as well. You know he doesn't want you to go either. He'd much rather stop the fighting and arguing than have you leave, Alice, and you know it."

"I know," I sighed, "But I just have to go. I'm sorry Carlisle. And pass my apologies onto everyone else. And my love."

"I will," he promised, "If you're _sure_ that this is what you want to do."

"It is," I answered immediately.

"And if you promise to come back soon," he added.

"Just to visit." I nodded, unsure as to whether I could promise any more than that.

"Okay. Where will you go?" He had hit the one question I had hoped that he wouldn't.

"I might go back to our house in Forks for a bit until I can find somewhere else," I said semi-truthfully. I was going back to our old home in Forks… for now.

"And you're not doing anything you shouldn't be?" Carlisle checked, raising an eyebrow. I resisted the urge to sigh; just because I had had a few too many plans didn't mean that I couldn't be trusted. Everything usually turned out okay in the end. Usually.

"No," I lied.

"Good," he said, his vice trusting now and I felt a twinge of guilt, "I'll miss you Alice, we all will." He pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back for a long moment.

"Thanks," I whispered in his ear before pulling away from the hug, "And you can tell Jazz where I've gone if he wants to come. Don't let anyone else though."

"Okay." Carlisle smiled sadly, "Goodbye Alice."

"Bye." I mirrored his smile as I turned and left, shutting the door gently behind me. As much as I hated to leave him, to leave _them_, I had to. For Bella. She needed me now. She needed Edward.

I was heading for Forks to stay, but, before I went there, there was something else I had to get for my plan to be foolproof. I had had a vision of Bella's step-father ripping the letters she had written to my brother and then, later on, another vision of the empty room. There was no one there, but the pieces of letter lay scattered over the floor, abandoned. I knew that, if they stayed there, they would be found by someone who wouldn't understand them.

I headed to Phoenix to get the letters. I would need to stick them back together; they would be necessary in the later stages of my plan. Then I would go on to Forks. Then I would talk to Bella.

I got to the house earlier than anticipated and looked through the crack in Bella's curtain from a distance. It wouldn't have been possible for a human to do, but my extra senses helped. She was sleeping soundly, her back against the wall. The letters she had written to Edward were scattered around her on the floor, but they were not yet in shreds. Whatever was going to happen hadn't happened yet.

I don't know how long I waited and watched, but suddenly Bella's step-father came in. I didn't know what he was planning; I hadn't seen anything. Whether that meant I was becoming blind (which I wouldn't have doubted considering I'd missed the times that he had hurt her), or whether that meant that this was a spur-of-the-moment decision, I wasn't sure.

I watched with bated breath as he slowly read each of the letters. Then he left the room. At first, I was relieved, but then I had a vision of him with a knife and my stomach dropped out of me. He was going to kill her? I couldn't let this happen.

But I couldn't do anything as the scene unfolded in front of my eyes and I watched helplessly. I felt my anger towards both Phil and myself turning into pure hatred. And, as he lifted the kitchen knife above his head, I couldn't watch any longer. I leapt from the tree I was in and flew across the road and silently in through her window.

"Bella!" I cried, just in time to see her eyes roll back into her head and her head loll. Was I too late?

"What the…?" Phil turned round, having heard my scream, and I couldn't bear to even look at his face.

"There are not words bad enough to describe you," I growled, before my fist connected with his head; knocking him out. I didn't have the heart to kill.

I stood alone in Bella's room for a second, waiting for a vision to come into my head. As soon as I saw Bella again, in Forks, I smiled to myself. She would be fine and Phil would get what was coming to him. And, for now, that was all that mattered. I gathered Edward's torn letters together and took off once again out of the window, making sure to slam it behind me, so that Renee would hear and come up momentarily.

I went back to the tree I had been sat in before and, as I had presumed, it was a matter of seconds before Renee burst into the room. I didn't stay to watch her reaction, instead leaping lithely from the tree and heading for Forks.

**Bella POV**

I ached all over. What happened? I couldn't remember anything. I thought hard and it slowly came back to me: the letters strewn around me; Phil yelling at me; Phil ripping the letters; the knife; the pain; the scream.

My eyes snapped open. I was in a hospital and Renee was asleep in a chair by my bedside. I wondered how I had got here and how long I had been here. What about Phil? What about Jacob? Had he stayed true to his word and gone a Jake with a knife as well? What had happened to my letters? _Edward's _letters?

"Ah, Bella, you're awake," a doctor came in.

"Uh… yeah," I answered, a bit dazed.

Renee stirred in her chair as the doctor bustled round the tiny room and then she woke.

"Bella?" she said as soon as she saw that I was awake, "Oh, Bella, my poor baby!" She immediately burst into tears and hugged me tightly, "Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry! Why didn't you say something, Bella?"

"What… what happened?" I stuttered as the doctor left the room to give us some privacy, I presumed.

"Oh, Bella." Renee burst into fresh sobs, "It was Phil. The whole time, it was him that was hurting you. I can't believe it, Bella."

"No, what happened afterwards?" I asked.

"Phil's been arrested, Bells," Renee told me and I didn't know whether or not I imagined the hint of sadness in her voice. It took a little while for me to process this and then I felt a huge sense of relief.

Suddenly, the door opened and Charlie came in.

"Dad?" I asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Bella, I didn't get to tell you…" Renee started, biting on her lip, "Your injuries were minimal because Phil was unconscious after the first stab – we don't know how he came to be unconscious – so the doctors have agreed to let you go as soon as you feel well enough. We're taking you back to Forks, Bella. That's what you want isn't it?"

"We?" I hadn't missed that.

"Yes." Renee nodded, "I'm coming back to help you settle in, Bella. I don't want you to be unhappy."

I couldn't say anything for a moment, but my face broke into a broad smile. I was going to Forks. Did that mean that I could see Edward?

"Oh, and there's someone here to see you," Renee remembered just as someone knocked on the door timidly.

I felt my heart jump in my chest. Who was it? Jacob? Maybe even… but then she came in.

"Bella, I'm really sorry," Leila apologised, her eyes red from crying, "I was horrible to you and I'm really sorry," she said.

"Leila, it's fine, I'm okay," I replied easily. Leila had never really been my worst problem; she had just been someone to make school worse than it already was.

"Well, I… I… uh… talked to Jacob and your Mum…" she looked at Renee, who nodded for her to continue, "And we… well… here." She handed me a little white box.

I peered at her curiously, but then opened the box. My necklace was inside, the chain fixed and the diamond polished.

"You fixed it?" I gasped.

"Well, I broke it, so it was only fair…" she trailed off as I gestured for her to come closer.

"Thank you," I said, hugging her.

"Where did you get it?" Leila asked, "Just interested," she added, "Both your Mum and Jacob say they don't know."

"I told you, a friend gave it to me," I said truthfully, trying to fight the smile that threatened to break out on my face. Jake knew where I had got it from and he hadn't told.

"Honey, _who_ gave it to you? You do know that that's a real diamond, don't you?" Renee checked. Charlie looked at the necklace, not saying anything.

"Just a friend," I replied.

Nobody said anything more as I put it back round my neck, where it belonged.

"I… I'll go now," Leila said awkwardly.

"Sure. Thanks, Leila. Really," I smiled at her and she smiled timidly back. Wow, I had never thought I'd see the day when Leila Jones would be shy.

"Bye," she whispered, before leaving.

I looked at the shut door for a minute before turning to my parents, "Did she really come all this way just to apologise?"

"Yes, she feels really bad. She came here before, when you were unconscious, crying her eyes out apologising to me. It really should be me apologising though, baby. I am so, so sorry." Renee's eyes watered again.

"Mum, it wasn't your fault. And I'm fine now," I promised.

"Bella, I have some good news," Charlie said suddenly, "As long as you rest for the next few days, you can leave now."

"Rest?" My spirits sunk, "That means no school, right?"

"That's right," Charlie confirmed and I sighed.

"Do you want to go to school?" Renee wondered, confused.

"Well, kinda," I admitted, "I miss my friends." And I desperately wanted to see Edward.

"When we get back to Forks, see how you feel. If you feel better, you can go back on Wednesday, if you want," Charlie said.

"Yeah, okay." I nodded, nervousness and anticipation already mixing in my stomach at the idea of going to school. Wednesday was only four days away. Maybe everything would be okay now?

**Jasper POV**

I wasn't really concentrating on the hunting trip. I was certain that Alice was up to something. Why else would she want to stay behind? And why was she hiding her thoughts from me? Yes, she was planning something… and I wanted to know what. I would get it out of her as soon as we got back home. I just hoped that she wasn't planning something stupid that would get her hurt.

But, when I got back with everyone else, she had already gone.

"What do you mean gone?" Edward asked Carlisle, infuriated. We were both glaring at him.

"She doesn't like being here where everyone's unhappy. She thinks that it's her fault so she's left."

"_Where_ has she gone?" I demanded.

"I can't tell you. It would betray her trust," Carlisle said and I felt my heart sink. What if Alice had done something dangerous? What if she got hurt?

"Oh, come _on_, Carlisle!" Edward cried. I looked at his face to see that, though he was thinking along the same lines as me, he was thinking about it from a completely different angle.

"You can't honestly believe that she's actually left because she's unhappy, do you?" he threw his hands up, looking angry. He thought that Alice had put us in danger or something. At this realisation, I felt a growl trying to erupt from my throat. Alice would never hurt us. Yeah, so she occasionally had the odd plan that would go a bit out of hand…

"Occasionally?" Edward glared at me, "A _bit_ out of hand?"

"She'd never hurt us, Edward, not intentionally. She loves us too much," I said defensive of the girl I loved. _Besides_, I added in my mind, _she only does these things because she thinks they'll help._

"The last time she tried to _help_, Jasper, I ended up in a florescent pink tutu and she ended up almost arrested for stalking someone," Edward snapped. I tried, and failed, not to smile at the memory of Edward in a bright pink tutu and Alice's face when that Suzanne had accused her of stalking.

"See? Admit it, Jazz, we would have been much better off without that ingenious plan of hers," Edward pointed out, rolling his eyes. This was much more like the old Edward before Bella… But as soon as I thought her name, his deep-rooted depression flared. I sighed.

"If she's done anything that involves her…" Edward muttered darkly and then shook his head, unwilling to think up a threat bad enough. Nobody else knew that I had just thought of Bella, but from the burning in Edward's eyes, it was clear enough. He was just getting worse. Whenever any of us thought of Bella, his eyes would show how bad he was really hurting inside. Whenever that happened, everyone else felt bad for him. But it didn't make any difference to me. I felt his hurt every minute of every day. And it was one of the worst hurts I'd ever felt.

If I was honest, even I had to admit that, wherever Alice was, she was indeed probably doing something that evolved around Bella, but, for once, I didn't think that this plan could come to anything bad. Edward was terrible like this and none of us could stand it for much longer, especially not Alice who, though she would never admit it, I think blamed herself partly for the accident because she had never seen it coming until just seconds before. It was only a matter of time before Edward realised how much he needed to be with Bella and went back to her… even if he needed a little persuasion…

"I will _never_ do that," he hissed, baring his teeth at me, "She's better off without me. She doesn't need a monster like me in her life. She doesn't want it." With that, he took off out of the window. He always did that whenever he needed some time to think without others thoughts intruding. He's run off somewhere and sit for hours on end sobbing tearlessly or thinking. Just thinking.

"Jasper," Carlisle said my name quietly and I looked up. He passed me a sheet of paper with a note written on it. The rest of the family watched our exchange with quiet confusion, but Carlisle shook his head at them, "Bye Jasper," he said, "Make sure you keep her under control."

I nodded, suddenly understanding what was on the sheet of paper and followed Edward out of the window. Standing outside, I unfolded the paper and read Alice's familiar writing.

_Jasper,_

_I'm at our old house in Forks. Only you and Carlisle know. Don't tell anyone. Come and find me if you want to._

_Lots of love_

_Alice_

I folded it back up again, and started to run in the direction of Forks. I doubted I'd be able to rein Alice in from whatever plan she had this time, but if it was a plan that would make Edward happier, would it really be that bad? Well, it was time to find out.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**More than 3,000 words for this chapter, guys. That's the longest one yet. Do you think I could get the most reviews yet??? The most I've had for one chapter so far is 26. Could we possibly boost that to 30??? 30 more reviews and we'll hit 200. Please. Please. Please. That would just be... amazing. There are not words.**

**Quote (Alice's POV):**

_I looked away from the group of people and back out of the window as I went through my timetable in my head to see who I had what lessons with. I couldn't see whether they'd pay any attention to me or what they'd say until they'd made up their minds what to do, which was irritating. Stupid, subjective visions. But then, I saw what I'd been looking for. In Biology, Mr Banner would sit me right next to Bella, in Edward's old seat. Bingo._

**Thank you all so much for all of your lovely reviews so far. I love reading them and always reply- it's the least I can do.**

**Special thanks to:**

**Hannah (Stargirl H) ;)- I may be beginning to forgive you for your stupid prank now... (yes- she hid 6 – SIX!! – Jacob pictures in my bedroom for me to find when she had gone. You all know how stupidly Team Edward I am so you can probably guess how irritated I was. Also, one of the pictures was half-naked and the majority had speech bubbles saying "Hey Steph" or something stupid like that. It was almost as bad as the April Fool my Dad played on me- it involved pretending to sell my dog, whom I love very, very much. I will not say any more on that.)**

**SleepThroughTheStatic- Haha. Our lovely PMs brighten up my day ;) And of course, the wet robward ;)**

**EdwardCullenLove25- For reviewing (without exception) every single chapter. Also for the awesome story.**

**Bonnie (Sorry- I forgot your penname. I know it's something to do with oreos lol)- Thank you so much for all your reviews their so nice. XD**

**Oh just everybody. Thank you thank you thank you. I love you all.**

**And what did you think of the Jasper POV??? Was it any good? I probably won't do anymore of it, but I might do. I'm not sure yet. I'm trying to concentrate on Bella and Edward right now, tbh cos it is a BXE fic so... fair enough. If anyone REALLY REALLY wants a Jasper POV bit, then review or PM me or something and I'll see what I can do. I might just do a Jasper POV of another bit in the story and post it as a one-shot or something. Dunno. Open for debate and suggestions.**

**PLEASE CAN WE GET TO 200 BEFORE THE NEXT UPDATE???!!! I know it's a long-shot, but if I believe in anybody, I believe in you guys. ;) Please. 30 reviews for one chapter? It's not that many, is it?**

**Thanks.**

**Steph**


	13. Tied Together With a Smile

*****IMPORTANT*****

**I'm very sorry for the mistakes in the last chapter (You know, Bella getting from Phoenix to Arizona in a day), but I live in the South of England and I totally don't know these things, ok? Thanks for pointing them out all the same. I've gone back and changed it so that Bella was in Phoenix hospital, not Forks, ok? But now she's awake, she's going back to Forks (on a plane) with Charlie and Renee, who wants to come and make sure that Bella's happy there. Leila still came in, but that's more realistic because Bella's still in Arizona. I'm sorry if there are any errors in this chapter or the last chapter because of the changes I made (ie: time errors and stuff.) but feel free to point them out (kindly please- I am a sensitive soul *sniff* XD) and I will try to change them.**

**Yes, so now I feel like an absolute idiot, but I hope that that one mistake (come on- you can forgive one can't you?) hasn't put you off reading the rest. Let's just put it this way: if you want Alice's plan to work and Bella and Edward to get back together, then put up with the little errors because Bella needs to be in Forks for that to happen, ok?**

**Also, if my one mistake in the whole thing suddenly makes this a bad story (directed only at one person and you know who you are) then I think that that could be a teeny bit hypocritical, perhaps? I don't know what mistakes you have made, but everyone makes at least one mistake in their life and I did get a bit offended when you said that this mistake ruined a good story. Nobody else seemed to think that.**

**Meanwhile, thanks to IsabellaDangelo for pointing out my mistake in a really nice way. Thank you so much and I'm glad that you don't think it's a bad story.**

**Right, and now I've got that out of the way, please enjoy chapter 13:**

**Disclaimer- If I owned it, I wouldn't be putting a disclaimer at the top, would I?**

_Hold on, baby, you're losing it._

_The water's high, you're jumping into it_

_And letting go._

_And no one knows,_

_That you cry but you don't tell anyone_

_That you might not be the golden one._

_And you're tied together with a smile, but you're coming undone._

- Tied Together With a Smile, Taylor Swift (yes, her again. But she rocks. I love Taylor Swift! XD)

**Alice POV**

I checked over my reflection in the mirror in our old bedroom. Jasper watched me, his eyebrows narrowed.

"Alice, are you sure that you're doing the right thing?" he asked, still concerned. I had told him my plan and he didn't like it, but, being my loving supportive husband, had agreed to help me with it. He was worried that what I was doing would make Edward cross, and I was sure that it would, until he realised how this could benefit him as well. He had decided to stay home while I went to school; I would be less conspicuous that way, and he wouldn't have to forcibly refrain himself from temptation.

"Yes," I replied as I carefully tucked a bit of my now blonde hair behind my ear. It had been a bit of an experiment dying my lovely hair, as I didn't know what would happen to it, but it had turned out okay. I would be dying it right back to its normal colour as soon as my plan had been carried out though.

"Love you," I told him, planting a kiss on his cheek before waving and skipping lithely out of the door. I climbed into the silver car I had purchased to keep up appearances (a bright canary yellow Porsche wouldn't have been appropriate to drive to school, so I had to leave it hidden in our garage) and sped Forks High School. Of course, I had made sure that the car was fast. I would need it if I wanted to get from here to Alaska within two and a half hours. **(A/N- is THAT right? I don't know how long it takes to get to these places, but, if Alice was driving really, really fast would they be able to get to Alaska in 2 hours? Someone please answer in a review or PM because I can't post the next chapter until I know.)**

"Can I help you?" Ms Cope, the receptionist, asked as I went into the office, playing at being the scared new student.

"Yes. Uh… my name's Mary Brandon. It's my first day today," I said.

"Of course." Ms Cope nodded and handed me various sheets of paper. I wasn't paying attention to what she was saying, but I seemed to nod in all of the right places.

"Thanks," I called over my shoulder as I proceeded to building 3.

Secretly, I was a little worried. I really needed Edward right now; he was the one that always checked that no one had figured out what we were. Now I desperately needed no one to recognize me, but I knew that trying to deflect the attention would be hard as the only new student. And that was why I had purposefully pulled a few strings and joined on the Wednesday. Because I knew that I wasn't the only new student.

As I entered the classroom, it was buzzing with excitement. My extra senses picked up her name several times over and I stared out of the window from my seat. Just before the bell went, the door opened and she came in.

"Bella!" Eric called from nearby, as did just about everyone in the room. Thankfully, no one appeared to notice me.

Predictably, Bella flushed a deep red, the blood pooling in her cheeks as all of her old friends dashed across the room to meet her. Her arm was in a bandage and she had yellowing bruises in various places, but other than that, she looked fine. I smiled, but then her eyes looked over to meet mine. She blinked, surprised at something and then looked away again, towards her friends.

I looked away from the group of people and back out of the window as I went through my timetable in my head to see who I had what lessons with. I couldn't see whether they'd pay any attention to me or what they'd say until they'd made up their minds what to do, which was irritating. Stupid, subjective visions. But then, I saw what I'd been looking for. In Biology, Mr Banner would sit me right next to Bella, in Edward's old seat. Bingo.

**Bella POV**

I waited outside in my truck for ages before deciding to go in. The anticipation had lessened and the nerves were much bigger than I ever expected them to be. I knew what I was really worried about seeing him and what he'd say, whether he still felt the same way about me or not, whether he'd be pleased to see me or not. But I didn't have to face him until later, so I forced myself to focus on the present moment, rather than the future.

I hesitated outside the classroom, but then took a deep breath and went in. Everyone greeted me with enthusiasm, Eric, Mike, Jessica and Angela the first to come over. Eager to avert their curious questions over what had happened to my arm and why I had moved back, I looked around the room. There was only one person still sat in her chair, and I didn't know her, but somehow I felt that I recognized her.

She was staring right back at me, but she was smiling kindly. I blushed and turned back to my friends.

"Oh, Bella, it's so good to see you," Angela said gently, "Would you like to come sit by me?"

"No, come sit with me," Mike argued.

"Okay, settle down, guys," Mr Mason called the class to order and everyone took their seats, leaving me standing at the front. Mr Mason smiled at me, "Welcome back, Bella."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"Feel free to sit where you want." He waved his arm dismissively and I took the seat next to Angela, apologising profusely to Mike and telling him I'd sit with him in English.

The morning went as to be expected with everyone trying to get me to sit with them. I was flattered by the unnecessary attention, but I didn't particularly like being in the spotlight so I tried to throw it off of me a few times.

"Who was the new girl in the classroom this morning?" I asked Mike in English as soon as he brought up my arm, wondering why it was in a bandage.

"Oh, she's new today. Her name's Mary, I think. Mary Brankdon, or something." Mike shrugged and shot another question at me. I sighed and skirted round the question with a semi-truthful answer. I decided to put up with the attention for a while; they'd get bored soon enough.

I ate in the canteen with Jess, Angela, Mike, Eric and the rest of our usual crew and looked over to the Cullens' table, surprised to see that they weren't there. I felt disappointed; so much for seeing Edward. My first day back and they weren't here. But I comforted myself with the fact that they'd be back tomorrow.

I realised that I had been clinging to one last shred of hope when I felt a fresh wave of disappointment as I went into Biology to see that our shared table was empty apart from three glass beakers holding what I presumed were three different liquids, though they were all the same colour.

I sighed and sat down, dumping my books on the desk. I began to doodle on the cover of my brand new notebook.

Suddenly, someone pulled the chair out next to me. My head snapped up, but it wasn't who I thought it would be. It was Mary.

"Hi," she said. She had a beautiful voice, more like singing than talking.

"Someone already sits there," I told her apologetically, "He's not here today, but he'll probably be here tomorrow." Hopefully.

"Oh, Mr Banner told me to sit here." Mary looked confused as she took the seat anyway.

"Oh." My eyebrows pushed together and I looked at Angela. She smiled apologetically and looked at Mr Banner. He wasn't looking up so she came over and whispered in my ear.

"The Cullens have left, Bella," she said.

"What?" I gasped. If I had been disappointed early, I didn't know the meaning of the word, "Left?"

"Yeah. They moved to Alaska or something. They're not coming back," she informed me.

"Oh. Right," I said, trying to keep the sadness that I felt creeping up on me into my tone, "Thanks."

Angela smiled again and went back to her seat, all before Mr Banner looked up. When he did and began to speak, I was barely listening. The Cullens had left? Why? When? Was it anything to do with me?

"Do you want to go first?" Mary's voice broke through my thoughts.

"No, it's okay. You can," I said.

"You don't know what we're doing, do you?" she laughed, a lovely tinkling sound.

"No," I admitted.

"It's okay. I'll do it," she said easily. I watched as she used a pipette to put a tiny drop of one of the liquids on to a piece of indicator paper. I followed suit and copied her with the liquid in the next glass and a new piece of indicator paper, trying to bury the inexplicable loss I felt inside.

I watched as Mary did the last one, occasionally flicking a strand of bobbed blonde hair behind her ear. Suddenly that feeling of recognition that I had felt this morning washed over me, just stronger.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"No." She looked up at me and immediately I knew what was familiar about her. Her eyes were a deep, burning gold colour.

"Oh. It's your eyes," I tried to explain my strange question, "They're the same colour as… a friend of mine."

"Oh." She looked back down again, watching the indicator paper as the colour slowly changed. We wrote the results down in a table and didn't speak again for the rest of the lesson.

When the bell rang, I collected my books together and began to leave, but Mary called after me, "Bella?"

"Yeah?" I turned back.

"Would you like to go shopping after school tomorrow?" she asked.

"Uh… why not?" I agreed. Something drew me to Mary. I didn't know what it was, or why, but I felt like I wanted to spend more time with her, get to know her.

The following day came quicker than I had thought it would. Renee - who was staying with Charlie and I whilst I got settled in, in the spare bedroom – was delighted that a friend had already asked me shopping. Maybe she didn't really believe that I did have friends and this was the first bit of proof she had.

"Who is it?" Charlie had asked.

"Uh… well, she's new, but her name's Mary Brandon," I answered honestly.

"Oh. Don't know her family, then," Charlie said gruffly, "Not friends with Jennifer Stanley anymore then?"

"It's Jessica, Dad," I corrected him, "And, yeah she's still a good friend."

"And Angelica? And Mike Newton?"

"Angela," I sighed, "Yeah, she and Mike are nice too. But I was sat next to Mary in Biology and she seemed nice as well."

"Good," Charlie nodded.

"Well, you'll have fun, I'm sure." Renee had been beaming, happy that her lonely daughter had finally found friends.

"Yeah, I'm sure I will," I had said, but deep down inside, I was desperately unhappy. Sure, Forks was better than Arizona because I still had my friends and stuff, but my previously main motivation was now non-existent, so Forks was not living up to my expectations.

I pulled into the parking lot half an hour early for school, deciding to hang round outside for a bit and, I couldn't believe that I had just thought this, _enjoy the rain_. It was bizarre. I knew that the sunshine generally made people happier, but I seemed to be happier in the rain, even though my reason for liking the rain was missing.

"Hey Bella," Mary Brandon greeted me from behind as soon as I climbed out of my truck.

"Oh. Hi. I didn't see you there," I said, locking the truck.

"You're early," she noted.

"Uh… yeah. So are you." We walked to the edge of school, where there was a little shelter over a bench.

"Yeah. I felt like coming in early today." She shrugged as we sat down on the bench.

"Mmm. Me too."

"So…" Mary sighed, "Where did you move here from?"

I blinked at her for a moment. That was the exact same question Jake had asked me when I was back in Arizona, "Uh. Well, I lived in Arizona, and then I moved here, and then I moved back to Arizona and now I'm back again," I summarised.

"Why?" Mary enquired.

"It's a long story."

"I have time."

"Yeah, but not enough," I sighed.

"Well, you could tell me the start," she suggested.

I didn't intend to tell her, but suddenly, I found myself telling her everything from the start: how I exiled myself to Forks for Renee and Phil; how much I had hated it here; how I had met Edward and how I had felt about him then; how I had been in a coma and how Edward's voice had brought me out of it; how he had left me and how sad I had felt; how he had left me a necklace and a note assuring me how much he loved me; how much I had missed him; how I had been abused by Phil and Leila; how friendly Jacob had been; how happy I had been to move back to Forks and then how sad I was now that I knew that he wasn't here. Everything. I literally poured my heart out to this girl I had only just met. And it scared me. Hell, it scared me.

But what scared me even more was her reply, "You're ready," was all she said.

"For what?" I wondered, wiping at my red eyes with the back of my hands.

"Do you want to come round my house this weekend?" she asked, as if the previous exchange hadn't happened.

"What am I ready for?" I wasn't giving up that easy.

"Oh, nothing. My parents just want to meet you, that's all." Mary shrugged, in an off-hand way, "Straight after school tomorrow, you can come back to my house and meet my family."

"Uh…" I hesitated. Wasn't it a bit early in our friendship to be 'meeting the family', so to say? And the way she said it scared me; it was more like someone taking their new partner home to meet their parents than a girl saying that to a new friend. Oh, what the hell? I decided, "Sure," I said. I needed to live a little.

**Alice POV**

I was surprised that Bella had poured her heart out to me this early in our friendship, but happy as well. It was strange to hear her feelings from her own mouth, hear how she thought that she had reacted to everything that had happened; hear how she had felt, and still felt, about Edward.

She was ready to go and see Edward. She was ready for me to take her there. She was ready to come face-to-face with the person she loved. I wasn't sure I could say the same thing about my brother, but he could handle it; he was a big boy now. He _might_ just kill me in the process, but I was fairly certain that as soon as he saw Bella, he'd forgive me.

The bell went then and Bella and I both went off to the form room. The rest of the day went in similar fashion to the day before; Bella was pounced on the moment we entered the classroom and everyone's subconscious told them to leave me alone, so they did. Bella sat with her now large group of friends at lunch and I watched from outside as I had done yesterday. I saw her eyes scan the canteen for me several times, but I didn't go into the canteen. Everyone would just want to know why I wasn't eating and I didn't feel like the 'ohmygod, she's anorexic' rumours.

Our shopping trip also went as expected. I shopped until Bella dropped, at which point I sighed and rolled my eyes and let Bella forcibly drag me back to the car. But I think, however much she complained, I _think_ that she enjoyed herself and maybe even put Edward to the back of her mind for a short while.

"Uh… thanks for the clothes," Bella said as I stopped outside Charlie's house.

"No problem at all, Bella," I sang, "You _need_ those clothes so, so badly. Wear that nice dress tomorrow," I ordered. I had bought Bella a beautiful blue dress **(A/N- think prom dress in the film just without all the frills)** always with the intention to force her to wear it for when I took her to see Edward.

"Uh… a dress? To school?" Bella bit on her lip, "Have you not noticed how much of a klutz I am?"

"Bella," I sighed, "You have to wear it. It looks gorgeous. And it'll be nice for you for when you meet my family."

"Okay," Bella caved and I grinned.

"Thanks," I called as she walked up her drive.

"You're welcome!" she called back, "See you tomorrow."

I nodded and waved, before driving off. I went back to our old home in Forks, where Jasper was sat in one of the bay windows waiting for me, as always.

"How did it go?" he asked as I came in.

"Great!" I exclaimed, "I got Bella the most gorgeous blue dress for when I take her to meet Edward tomorrow…"

"What?" Jasper narrowed his eyes, "Tomorrow? Alice, what happened to the 'it will probably take a couple of weeks'?"

"Well, she's ready now." I shrugged.

"Alice!" Jasper cried, "You can't just drag her over to see Edward. She'll have a panic attack and he'll kill you!"

"It'll be fine," I assured him.

"How can you know that Alice?! It's not like you can see what their reaction is going to be until they've actually decided to react is it?"

"Well… no," I admitted grudgingly, again cursing my stupid objective visions.

"Exactly."

"But, Jazz, it's going to work. I just know it is. You should have heard what she said. They belong together, Jasper. It's going to work," I insisted stubbornly.

"Well, I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into," he warned.

"I do," I replied, "Oh, by the way, you've got to get to the house before Bella and I, but only a split second before so that they don't get a chance to question you."

"What?" Jasper gaped at me, "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"You'll think of something. You're smart, Jazz."

"Remind me why I do this," he sighed.

"Because you love me. And I love _you_." I smiled at him and he groaned.

"Fine," he gave in, "But it's your neck."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Like? Love? Hate? If you hate it, I'd prefer you didn't say, although constructive criticism is welcome in a friendly way (NB: -I don't have a clue what NB stands for but I know it's something like note, so I'll use it anyway :P- I do not react well to horrible stuff like "This story sucks". If that's what you think, please point out what is bad about it. Ta)**

**AND I am very sorry for not replying to all of the reviews for the last chapter, but I have to go out and I thought that maybe you'd prefer it if I updated rather than replying to all of your reviews ;). I probably won't reply to them now, but if you review this chapter I will reply tomorrow. XD**

**Sorry that this wasn't a daily update but I had to a) re-arrange a load of stuff (yes, entirely my fault, but still time-consuming) and b) finish writing this chapter and begin the next.**

**Again, more than 3,000 words. Almost 4,000 in fact. Thank you guys so much for all of the nice reviews of the last chapter, but do you think we could get to 30 for one chapter??? That is my new aim. If you're reading this, please just review.**

**S'il vous plait?**

**And you have absolutely NO IDEA how strange it has been changing Alice's name to Mary. It just doesn't suit her at all, in my opinion anyway.**

**And, yes, in the next chapter BELLA AND EDWARD WILL COME FACE-TO-FACE!!! XD Exciting, I know! This chapter's quote isn't actually a very good one because I had to not give much away. But here it is:**

"_Alice?" I asked, finally finding my voice, "I thought your name was Mary."_

"_Well… you see…" she sighed, and then decided to spill, "That was a lie. My name's Alice."_

"_Yeah, her name's Alice," Emmett laughed, "And, dude, she is so, so dead."_

"_I am not!"_

"_You will be when Edward gets back, Ali! Woah. He'll be mad this time! This is worse than the tutu scenario!"_

"_Don't call me Ali!" Alice snarled._

**So, the truth is soon to be out! It's so exciting! Well, I'm excited, I don't know if you are…**

**And the bad news?? There aren't many chapters left! It's nearly over! This is so sad :(**

**And someone please tell me that if someone drove at an average of say, 100 mph, could they get from Forks to Alaska in about 2 hours? I can't update until I know, so please tell me!**

**Remember: Daily updates only happen if you review!**

**Steph**


	14. 6 Months

**Okay! So, the chapter we've all been waiting for… well, sort of. But first… PLEASE READ THE BELOW- it is important.**

**I'm sorry I didn't do my research properly before I wrote this, but, if time and exams allow, I will go through and change this at a later date. Thank you guys so, so much for telling me the times and stuff to get from Forks to Juneau but I have decided to take "FutureAuthor62"'s advice.**

**Do you think for just the next twenty minutes or so, we could forget about Canada (no offense- Canada is great, but it's an inconvenience in the storyline XD) and pretend that it is totally possible to get from Forks to Juneau within three hours, let alone the forty-three it would realistically take? I do know that, realistically, it would take a lot longer, but this is a fictitious story and, come on guys, as much as we hate to admit it, vampires really do not exist. Sorry if this irritates anybody, but I had already written this and I really didn't want to go through and write it all again. Not to mention the fact that, if this were a weekend trip, Bella and Edward could not be together for another two days and I would have posted this chapter like next week or something ridiculous like that. So, hopefully, the lack of reality won't bother you and you'll like it anyways. As I have said, I will totally go through at a later date and re-edit the whole thing (because I'm sure that there must be some other mistakes as well) and add things and change them and stuff.**

**Oh, and to Mellisam and anyone else who was wondering, yes Bella is smart and may recognize Alice just with blonde hair, but they don't actually have any lessons together (well, in twilight they don't anyway) and, before she got hit by the van, she probably wouldn't have been paying much attention to Alice. So, yeah whilst she may have recognized her, they weren't great friends or even acquaintances, so... she didn't I guess. XD**

**Okay. Now please enjoy the penultimate chapter (yes. Sad, I know. I will consider writing a sequel if I can think of enough material, but I will bore you with this at the bottom instead ;))**

**Disclaimer- Twilight was the result of one fantastic woman's absurd dream. Unfortunately that fantastic woman was not me, although I also have absurd dreams XD (and the name Stephenie. Just spelt different – StephAnie, for those who are interested, you know, like the penname minus the other 'i's – and, if you're going that far, the same colour hair ;))**

_Everything you say,_

_Every time we kiss I can't think straight,_

_But I'm okay._

_And I can't think of anybody else,_

_Who I hate to miss,_

_As much as I hate missing you._

-6 Months, Hey Monday

**Edward POV**

I was miserable. There was no other way to describe it. I expected to be a fraction happier without Alice's visions forced on me, by none other than Alice herself, but I wasn't. Because seeing my angel, even through the special power that my sister had, even when she was sobbing her heart out, but seeing my angel was better than not seeing her at all.

Had this been Alice's plan the whole time? To make me feel so deprived of Bella that I'd go and find her? Had Alice not noticed that I was stubborn? Had Alice not noticed how much I love Bella? Had Alice not noticed how willing I was to stay away from Bella for her own good? If Alice hadn't noticed any of this, which I highly doubted, then she needed to get her brain tested. Not that she didn't already need that.

"What's up?" someone's chime-like voice interrupted my brooding. I looked round to see Tanya, Irina, Kate, Carmen and Eleazar staring at me, grins on their faces.

"Tanya!" Carlisle spoke before I could, "How nice of you all to drop by!"

"It's our pleasure," Tanya said, taking Carlisle into an embrace. I stood and let her hug me eagerly, not really paying any attention.

So I didn't hear her request for me to go hunting with them until Carlisle had to yell at me through his thoughts.

"Uh… I guess I have no objections," I accepted graciously, sending Carlisle a 'help me!' look when Tanya's back was turned.

"I'll come too," he volunteered, "I've always wondered where you like to hunt…" And, with that, he started up a new conversation about Tanya's favourite places to hunt and where the wildlife was plentiful. I trailed behind them, unusual for me, my mind slowly going over my options.

Option one: I did nothing. I didn't like this idea at all. As much as I hated to admit it, Alice's plan was working and I was missing Bella like hell. Everyday that went by without seeing her face was like torture for me. I doubted that she felt the same way, but surely it wouldn't do any harm to just check on her?

That was option two: go to Phoenix and watch Bella from a distance. This was the option that I was swaying towards, definitely. My aching heart needed to see her, but I knew that seeing her would never be enough. I could remember how difficult it had been to watch her the day she left and abstain from actually speaking to her.

And that left my final option: go to Phoenix and talk to her. I desperately wanted to do this, but I wanted what was best for her more. If talking to her was going to hurt her, then I didn't want to do it. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her, or if she found out. That would only put her in the Volturi's firing line.

I continued to ponder as I brought down a mountain lion. I barely even noticed the blood in my mouth, the dulling of the burn in my throat, despite the fact that the lions were far and few in between here. Eventually, I made up my mind.

As soon as I had decided this for definite within myself, Tanya claimed my attention and I had to fight the urge to scream at her and tell her that she was wasting her time, that I was already in love, but I was too much of a gentleman. Not only that, but I didn't want to put myself in the firing line for the inquisitive questions I was sure to get if I admitted that I was in love with a human.

I had questioned this fact many times. Was I actually in love with Bella? How could I be sure that it wasn't just an infatuation when I had never even been mildly attracted to a girl before? But now I knew. You were in love when you had no reason to be with that person, yet you wanted them by your side every second of every day. You were in love when you didn't care about anything but that person. You were in love when your mind was always with that person. You were in love when nothing else mattered any more. You were in love when all you wanted for the rest of your life _was_ that person. That person, for me, was Bella. That was how I knew. That was how I knew that I was madly in love with Isabella Marie Swan. And that was how I made up my mind to go with option two.

**Bella POV**

Friday dragged. It was a boring day and made all the more embarrassing by the number of times I almost killed myself by the way my legs couldn't stretch at all in my beautiful dress. Yes, it was beautiful, even someone as blind as me when it came to fashion could see that. And yes, it made me look beautiful, something that I had considered impossible, but that Mary had snorted at. But, on the other hand, it was totally unnecessary. Couldn't I have made a good impression of myself wearing a sweater? But, no, Mary insisted that I wore the dress. And I was way too polite to refuse.

Shopping with Mary had been great. I had even put Edward to the back of my mind for a second, but not much longer than that. He was always there, always the centre of my mind. But, while it was just us together, I got that feeling that I knew Mary again. I could have sworn that I had come across someone with her bubbly and care-free attitude before. Hadn't I?

Finally, the bell rang for the end of the day. I met Mary by the little wall outside.

"Bella! I'm so excited!" she squealed, hugging me gently. I shivered; she always seemed to be so cold.

"Mary, you should put a sweater on, you're freezing," I advised as we walked to her car. She had given me a lift to school this morning so that I wouldn't have to bother dropping my truck home.

"I'll be okay; there's a heater in my car." She shrugged off my concern and unlocked the car. I climbed into the passenger seat, careful not to rip my dress and she turned on the heater.

We drove the first part of the journey in a comfortable silence, and we had been going about half an hour when I spoke: "How far away is your house?"

"Well, during the week, I live fairly close, but the rest of the family live quite far away," she hedged.

"Why don't you live with your family?" I asked.

"Well…" she hesitated and I could tell that I'd asked the one question she had hoped that I wouldn't.

"Well?"

"I don't get on incredibly well with one of my brothers and I just… I dunno, I just wanted a change. I'll explain properly later on," Mary said before leaning over and switching on the radio.

The music filled the car but I wasn't paying attention. Why was Mary suddenly so secretive? Surely, after everything I had told her yesterday, she could tell me why she lived away from her family? I had told her about Phil, for crying out loud, I had even told her about _Edward!_

But all of a sudden she had gone quiet; almost brooding. The smile that was usually in place had been wiped clean off and I began to wonder how many secrets she hid behind it.

More than three hours after we had left, we were still driving and had still not spoken another word, unless you counted Mary singing along with the radio. I was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable; slightly worried. But, for some unfathomable reason, I trusted Mary entirely.

"We're nearly there now," she said finally, although her voice sounded strained; worried, like me.

"Okay," I said, my throat dry from the lack of use.

We pulled up the driveway to a posh house, which was very light and open.

"Wow," I breathed. Never in my life had I seen a house that looked quite so beautiful… and hideously posh and expensive. So when Mary had said that buying me all of those clothes had been no bother, she had really meant it. How strange.

"You like it?" she asked, appearing at my side. Hell, how did she _do_ that? Her speed reminded me of only one person that I'd met and I didn't even want to think about him. Especially not now I had to go make a good impression…

"I love it." I grinned at her and she smiled back, though the smile seemed cautious. She lead the way up the drive and let herself into the beautiful home.

"Esme?" she called quietly. Anyone who heard that would have to have really good hearing.

"Alice?" someone called back, "Is that you?"

I briefly wondered who Alice was, Mary's sister, maybe? But I had forgotten all about that when a woman came around the corner.

She didn't notice me, but she screamed when she saw Mary, "Alice! What on earth have you done to your lovely hair?!"

"I dyed it," Mary replied. Okay. Now I was confused.

"Alice!" another person bounded into the room. A man. I studied him further and felt my stomach drop. I recognised him. He was one of the Cullens. A further blow hit me when two more people entered the room, one a honey-blonde male who went straight to Mary and hugged her, the other a stunning blonde female. A stunning blonde female whose face I would never forget in a million years. Rosalie Hale. Suddenly, I felt sick. What stupid, sick game was Mary playing?

"Alice!" Rosalie exclaimed sadly, "Your hair!"

"Oh my God," the big guy said, Emmett I think his name was. I looked over at him, nerves building in my stomach. He was gawking at me, utterly astonished.

One by one, each of the people in the room turned to look at me and all of them gasped.

"Alice," Rosalie whispered, "What the hell have you done?"

"This is Bella," she said.

"Alice?" I asked, finally finding my voice, "I thought your name was Mary."

"Well… you see…" she sighed, and then decided to spill, "That was a lie. My name's Alice."

"Yeah, her name's Alice," Emmett laughed, "And, dude, she is so, so dead."

"I am not!"

"You will be when Edward gets back, Ali! Woah. He'll be mad this time! This is worse than the tutu scenario!"

"Don't call me Ali!" Alice snarled, but I was barely paying attention. When Edward gets back. Edward gets back. I slowly comprehended this fact. Edward Cullen had two brothers and two sisters. One of his sisters was called Alice. I suddenly recalled where I knew 'Mary' from.

"You're Alice Cullen," I frowned at her.

"Yep," she grinned, not seeming to notice my anger that she had lied to me. Or, if she did notice, she didn't care.

"It's okay, Bella," Esme said gently, coming over to me and putting her arm round my shoulders, "Alice will take you home right now."

I hesitated. Did I want to go home if Edward would be back soon? But did I want to stay if Edward would be as angry as his siblings presumed he would be? Why would he be angry? Did he not want to see me? Did he not care any more? I looked at the floor and fiddled anxiously with my necklace.

"No, I will not," Alice refused stubbornly, "I've driven her all the way here for one reason and I'm not about to give up and go back, especially not now she has a million questions for me."

"Take her home, Alice," Esme repeated; a command now.

"It's too late, Esme. One minute," Alice replied confusingly.

But then, all five of them turned their heads to look out of the window, hearing sounds that I couldn't. Fear and nerves settled in the pit of my stomach. What would happen in one minute and what could they hear?

I could hear someone laughing. A girl. And then she spoke.

"Kate, you, Irina, Carmen and Eleazar can go home now. I'll stay for a little while longer." Her voice was beautiful. The singular most beautiful sound in the whole world.

Seconds later, the door to the house opened and Dr Cullen came in. He also saw Alice first.

"Alice! What a lovely surprise!" he smiled warmly at her.

And then _he_ came in. I couldn't breathe. He was even more beautiful than I remembered. And then my heart sank when I saw her. There was a beautiful woman with her arm around him, almost as beautiful as Rosalie. I felt a lump in my throat and I fought hard to keep it down.

He too stared at me. His golden eyes were soft and apologetic. I looked away; I didn't want to see it.

There was a long silence, but suddenly I knew what I had to do. I reached up and undid the clasp of the necklace, letting it fall into my hand. Then, I walked over to Edward and held it out for him. He took it and I whispered, "Goodbye, Edward."

With that, I turned my back on them all and walked out of the door, the tears already spilling over.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**I'm sorry that the reunion didn't go as expected, but it's a misunderstanding, right?**

**The song quote at the top is probably better suited to the next chapter, but I thought it was sweet for this one sooo… I used it XD. It's by a group called Hey Monday, who are actually awesome. They sound just like Paramore and, I don't know whether they're popular in the States, but over here (England woop woop!) they seem to be pretty unknown. Check them out. They are actually really good XD.**

**Okay. Now I'm going to do the quote before I start with the whole 'Story nearly over' thing.**

**Quote (in Alice's POV, btw):**

"_You promise to tell the truth?" Bella whispered, looking at me through her watery eyes._

"_Yes."_

"_Tell me one thing, then…" she paused._

"_Go on," I urged._

"_What are you?" she finally asked._

**Yes, Alice has a lot of explaining to do. It's so much better to be able to call her Alice again. XD**

**SO... the next chapter is most probably the last one guys. Oh my God. I can't believe it's nearly finished! It's kinda sad but happy as well. This is only the second story I've actually ever seen through to the end XD. Although I've nearly finished BTF and FI as well... maybe it's a sign... dunno.**

**Anyways... I may or may not do a sequel. To be honest, I didn't intend to but I don't want to leave this story behind. But, then again, I don't have that much material... but I do have some. I might do, but I have another fic planned at the moment, so it probably wouldn't be too soon... I also HAVE to finish BTF and FI before I do a sequel. I'll think about it and put a big section at the end of the next chappie. Or I might just do a big A/N chapter at the end. I don't know. Those of you that have been really good to me will be getting a special mention, don't worry ;).**

**And THANK YOU GUYS so so much for your support. It has really made me feel better. I'm glad that you all think this is actually a good fic, despite the errors.**

**I would also just like to say thanks to Mellisam thanks so much for the reviews. I know sometimes when you review a fic that has been up a long time then it seems that your reviews are really pointless, but they mean a lot and the first review you left was so, so nice. Thanks again.**

**And that's all I really have to say for this AN. Other than the inevitable, which is coming next XD.**

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I would love to get more than 250 reviews by the end, and I think we can do that. 300 would be great, but with only two chappies left I don't think we're gonna get there. It can't hurt to try though, I guess.**

**Review? Please? Thanks. I love you all.**

**Steph**


	15. Crazier

_I was trying to fly but I couldn't find my wings,_

_But you came along and you changed everything._

_You lift my feet off the ground,_

_You spin me around_

_You make me crazier, crazier._

_Feels like I'm falling and I_

_I'm lost in your eyes,_

_You make me crazier, crazier, crazier._

-Crazier, Taylor Swift.

**Alice POV**

"Goodbye Edward," she whispered before turning her back on him and walking out of the still-open door.

I groaned quietly; this wasn't the outcome I had been hoping for. Desperately I tried to run after her, but Edward held me back.

"Get off of me, Edward," I growled.

"What the _hell_ have you done?" he growled back, shaking Tanya's arm off of his shoulder.

"Edward, let me go," I said.

"No. You've done enough."

"Edward, for God's sake let go of me!" I snapped, "You have no _idea_ what that girl has been through. She doesn't deserve this as well."

"So why did you do it?"

"I did it because you love her," I hissed, finally pulling free of the hold he had on me and dashing out of the door, following Bella's scent.

"Bella?" I called after her, "Bella, come back. Please?" I caught up with her to find her sitting on a fallen log crying her eyes out.

"Bella, I am so sorry," I whispered, sitting down next to her.

"Go away!" she shouted at me, "Just leave me alone. Please."

"Bella, I can't. If you want to go home I'll take you."

"No thanks. I'll find my own way back," she said stubbornly.

I smiled fondly, "Bella, there's no way you'll find your way back to Forks from here _alone_."

Bella didn't say anything and neither did I. For a long moment, all I did was curse Tanya to the fiery pits of hell for her impulse decision to come back to our house draped around my brother. And then I cursed Edward to the fiery pits of hell for not telling her to get lost. I sighed loudly.

"Bella, you should go back," I said eventually.

"What? So I can make a fool of myself some more?" Bella scoffed, "I don't think so. How could you do this to me? I thought you were my friend, but everything you ever said was a lie." She sighed too, "Please. Just take me home, Mary. Alice. Whatever."

"Okay," I whispered. I felt sadness overwhelm me. Another warped plan of mine had failed. When was I going to start listening to Carlisle and Jasper? I had only wanted to make things better and I had made them worse. Not only had I lost Bella, I had lost a good friend. And I had lost a brother.

No. I _was_ going to make this right. Why should I give up? I knew that Edward loved Bella and that Bella loved Edward. Why should they be apart? There was only one answer to that question: they shouldn't.

"Bella, please talk to Edward," I begged, "Just for a little while."

"No," she refused blankly.

"I'm not taking you home until you have, Bella. God knows I've worked too hard to let this all fall apart. You love him. Surely that's got to mean _something_?"

"Yeah, but what? What does it mean, especially if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Oh, Bella," I sighed, "He does love you. That's the only reason that he hasn't come and found you yet. He thinks that being together will hurt you and he doesn't want to do that. That girl in there? She's no one, Bella. No one. She doesn't mean half as much to Edward as you do. She's just an old family friend, that's all."

"That's all?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes!" I cried in despair, "Bella, he loves you so, so much that it… well, it's killing him. Why won't you believe me?"

"Oh, I don't know." Bella glared at me her tone livid. This shocked me; it wasn't like Bella at all.

"Maybe because every word you've ever said to me in the past few days were lies? Maybe because I didn't even know your real name until just now? Maybe because I told you _everything_ and you don't seem to care?"

"Bella, that's not true. I love you like you were my sister," I told her honestly.

"Well, maybe you'd better show it," she snapped cruelly.

"I just did. I brought you to the person you love and told you the honest truth that he loves you back and you won't believe me. Okay, so I haven't been the most truthful person over the last few days, but I've only done it for you. Everything I've done has been for you, Bella! And now I'm being totally honest and you won't believe me! It couldn't be more truthful if it came from Edward's own mouth!"

"You promise to tell the truth?" Bella whispered, looking at me through her watery eyes.

"Yes."

"Tell me one thing, then…" she paused.

"Go on," I urged.

"What are you?" she finally asked. I froze. The one thing I didn't want her to ask. I stared at her for a long moment and then sighed. She deserved to know.

**Edward POV**

"I did it because you love her," Alice hissed through her gritted teeth. With that, I let her go. I couldn't berate her for doing something for me. Especially not something like that.

She took off through the door running desperately after Bella. I had to admit, just to myself, that seeing her face had brought me a strange sense of relief. Like numbing my pain. And she was more beautiful than I had remembered. For a moment, it looked as though everything would be all right. But then she saw Tanya. Tanya, whom I had forgotten all about. And, of course, my beautiful angel made incorrect assumptions and left. What I wouldn't have given to go back in time, just two minutes and tell Tanya to go back to her home with Kate, Irena and Billy-Bob. What I wouldn't have given to tell Tanya to leave. What I wouldn't have given to have stopped Bella walking right out of our home, out of my life.

"What…" Tanya stammered, "What. Was. That?"

"I have to go…" I stuttered, "I can't… I have to…"

"Edward," Jasper spoke aloud, catching my attention. He held out a box and said: "Alice told me to give this to you if you had any doubts. She said you have to read them."

I cautiously took the box from him and lifted the lid. Inside were letters. Hundreds of letters all torn and then taped back together. I read them one by one at vampire speed and by the time I had finished I felt terrible. How much my angel had been forced to go through without me. How much I could have saved her from. How much pain she'd had to endure.

The guilt and anger almost overwhelmed me, but another emotion triumphed over them. Love. Love for the girl who'd gone through all of this, who'd put up with all of this, just with the hope that someday I'd come and save her. Love for the incredible, beautiful girl who was hurting now more than she ever had. Love for the girl who I was meant to be with. Love for the girl who I had to go to. Right now.

I shoved all of the repaired letters back into the box and left, following the scent through the trees. I could feel my family's stares on my back and could hear their inquisitive thoughts, but none of that mattered now. All that mattered was that my angel felt better.

"Tell me one thing then," Bella was whispering to Alice, who was sat next to her on a fallen log.

"Anything," Alice promised. It was strange to see her with blonde hair. She looked so… different.

"What are you?" Bella asked. So she hadn't forgotten that. I could tell by the way that Alice froze that she didn't want to be the one to tell her.

I decided that now could be a good time to interrupt.

"Thanks, Alice," I said, making both of them jump and turn round. I stepped out of the trees and sat down on Bella's other side, "I'll take it from here," I said to Alice. She smiled a little at me, stood up and headed back for the house.

Bella stared after Alice, seeming unsure what to make of my abrupt appearance. Well, this was awkward. She still smelled as tempting as ever, but I knew that I never could and never would hurt her. Especially not now all I wanted was her forever. And that's why I was about to do what I was about to do.

**Bella POV**

I didn't know what to say, what to do. I was the most confused I had ever been in my entire life. I didn't know what was the truth and what wasn't. For a moment, I even wondered if Phil had killed me and this was some kind of bizarre after-life. But the love I felt for Edward burned stronger than ever and I knew that a dead person couldn't possibly feel like this.

"Bella?" he asked softly. I still didn't look round; I didn't trust myself enough.

"Bella, Alice gave me these." He put something in my lap, but I didn't look at it.

"Bella, please say something," his beautiful voice begged with me, "Do something? Anything."

I slowly turned my head and glanced at him. His eyes were burning with emotions as he stared into mine.

"I don't know what I can say," I croaked, looking away again.

"Bella?" he repeated, putting his cold hand on top of mine. How many times had I longed for this reunion? How many times had I wished to feel his smooth skin on mine? But I hadn't ever imagined that it would be like this; forced, almost.

"Yes?" I whispered.

"I am… so sorry," he whispered, "No. I can't even say that. Sorry doesn't even begin to cover how I feel. Bella…" he hesitated, "I… I love you… so much."

Now I looked up at him, "Really?"

"Of course I do. Would I stay away from you if that weren't the case?"

"I don't know," I said honestly.

"Close your eyes," he ordered. I hesitated.

"Just do it. Trust me," he purred gently. This time, I did as I was told and shut my eyes. I felt him put the necklace back on and brush my hair away from my face and a small smile hovered about my lips. But then he did something I wasn't expecting.

He pressed his own lips to mine and kissed me softly. It felt so _right_. Like it was meant to be. I sighed against him and deepened the kiss, my fingers knotting in his hair, whatever he had put on my lap sliding to the floor. Unlike the previous times that he'd kissed me, this didn't make him pull away, just chuckle against my lips and kiss me harder.

"I love you," he murmured breathlessly against my lips when we eventually broke apart. He rested his forehead against my own, not breaking away from me entirely.

"I love you more," I muttered, trying to kiss him again although my need for oxygen was probably more important.

"Breathe, Bella," he reminded me gently. I sucked in a deep breath, my eyes still closed, and kissed him again. I swear I could spend all eternity kissing Edward.

Shortly afterwards, we sat in a comfortable silence on the log, my head resting against his shoulder.

"What…" he broke the peace, but then trailed off.

"What…?" I pressed.

"What happened to Phil and Leila?" he asked, unable to keep the anger out of his voice.

"How do you know about Phil?" I opened my eyes then to narrow my eyes at him. He nodded at the box on the floor. I frowned and picked it up. He pulled the lid off for me and I gasped in surprise as I immediately recognized the sheet of paper on the top.

"Where did you get these?" I wondered, pulling out the letters one by one.

"Alice," he replied, unashamed, "You know, she loves you too. She only wanted to help."

"Hey, I'm not the one who's apparently going to kill her," I teased. It was strange how easy it was to do this now. It was like the piece that had been missing from me had never left.

"I don't plan to do that anymore."

"Why not?"

"Well, because it worked." Edward shrugged.

"That reminds me… what was the tutu scenario?"

Edward shuddered, "An experience I am never ever going to endure again. Not even through the medium of telling someone else. Yes, that includes you. Let's just say that Alice was trying to set me up with some girl and I ended up somehow worse off. Emmett called me Miss Butterfly Fairy for weeks afterwards…" he shuddered again and I giggled.

"So…" I started awkwardly. I knew just what I wanted to ask him, but I didn't want to break our re-built relationship.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"I… nothing," I lied.

"Bella, I know what you want to ask me," Edward said, serious now.

"You do?"

"The same thing you asked Alice?" he wondered.

I nodded mutely.

"Bella, I'm not going to lie to you anymore," he sighed, "I'll tell you what we are and if you change your mind about us… well, I don't blame you. But, remember that I'll always love you."

"Change my mind?" I scoffed, but I was trembling slightly, "I don't care what you are. I'll always love you too."

"Bella, we – my family and I – are vampires," Edward revealed quietly, "But it doesn't change how I feel about you at all."

I stayed silent for a moment; I didn't know quite what to make of this, "What, so you drink blood?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not humans," he replied softly, "Only animals. We don't want to be bad."

"You're not," I whispered stroking his face.

"That's what you think," he muttered.

"Edward, I can tell that you think I'm going to run away screaming, but it's not going to happen. I love you, whatever you are," I said firmly.

"As I love you," he murmured, knotting our fingers together, "Oh and there's something else…" he remembered.

"What?" I rested my forehead against his.

"I can… read minds," he told me quietly, "And Alice can see the future… sort of… it changes. It's subjective."

But I wasn't listening anymore; the revelation before that had caught my attention more, "You can read my mind?!" I shrieked.

"No," he said, "Not yours. Everyone else's, yes. Yours? Nothing. I can't read yours. You're a little mystery," he teased.

"Good," I muttered.

He chuckled and then stood up, "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Not one bit." I stood too and beamed at him.

"In that case… would you like to come home for dinner?" he asked casually.

"What?" I gasped.

"Joking," he laughed, "But I think we both owe a certain person an apology," he reminded me.

"Alice," I agreed, "Let's go." I started to walk back towards the house, but he grabbed my wrist and slung me up on his back. Then he started to run and I gasped in surprise.

"Oh my God," I whispered and he laughed with exhilaration. Seconds later, we stopped just metres away from the house, where he put me down.

"Wow," I breathed, trying desperately to get my breath back, and failing miserably.

Edward chuckled, "Come on then," he said and then shot me a lop-sided grin. I beamed back as we headed to apologise to and thank his sister. He laced his fingers through mine and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back and smiled to myself as we went back into his house, our hands linking us together. And that's how it would be forever.

Edward _was_ my forever.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Oh my Cullen. It's so sad that it's all over! Sort of over anyways. Oh, and it'd be great if you could actually read this A/N.**

**First thing's first: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED, ADDED THIS TO THEIR FAVOURITES OR ALERTS, ADDED THIS TO A C2 OR EVEN JUST READ IT. Seriously, I cannot be more thankful. I just love you all so much for the support and everything. You are amazing and I can't thank you enough. If you don't believe me, the whole next chappie is an AN thanking various people and stuff. Go read it after reading all of the below.**

**SECONDLY... I do have ideas for a sequel, but I'm not sure if I'll do it. If there's enough demand then I'll give it a go, but not until I've finished "Back To Forks" and "Forbidden Interference". IF you are reading either of those thanks, and if not go have a look! Yes, right sequel... I may or may not do one. It could be done, but I don't know whether to leave it here or not. Please review saying what you think. If you want a sequel or not, say so and, depending on the demand, I'll see what I can do. I'll set up a poll so GO VOTE and I'll see... If I do one, I'll post an AN with the title when I put it up.**

**THIRDLY... I am posting the first chapter for a new Twilight Fanfic at the same time as this chappie right now. PLEASE, PLEASE go R&R. Please tell me what you think and whether I should continue it as I am not really sure at the moment. Please, please, please.**

**FOURTHLY... Uh… I can't remember what this fourth thing was… oh yes. I know it ended a bit abruptly and Edward didn't tell Bella everything, but I'm leaving it open for a sequel, okay guys?**

**FIFTHLY... The next chapter is just an A/N saying thanks and various other stuff. It is not necessary to read it, but it would be nice if you did ;)**

**SIXTHLY... (this is a long list...) I'm sorry for not replying to reviews for chapter 14, but I will definitely be replying to these. I mean, these are the last reviews I'll get for this fic- of course I'll reply!**

**And finally... Thanks again. So, so much. Please, please review! If you have just read this all the way from the beginning (hmm- bet it seems a long time ago now doesn't it?), like literally just now, or whether you have been a supporter from the beginning and haven't yet reviewed, please do it now. I am on my knees. Literally.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

**Thank you guys so much.**

**Steph**


	16. AN

**Okay. This is the A/N at the end of the story. If you are reading this, then I have to admit that I am amazingly surprised. And I'm so tempted to do the song thing at the start of this as "Goodbye" by the Spice Girls XD. But this isn't a chapter so I'm not going to...**

**Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who's been especially good to me. Here's the list guys:**

**-Hannah. Of course. You're a good friend and probably the only one who R&Rs all my stories without fail. Even the ones that never get finished. Thank you so much. And I'll forgive you for the Jacob thing if you promise never to do it again.**

**-Briony. Yes, you are my favouritest second cousin (just don't tell your brother ;)) and I miss you :(. Hopefully we'll meet again someday XD (Summer hols?) and thank you so much for reading all my stories.**

**-SleepThroughTheStatic. Your PMs really brighten up my day and make me laugh and I always feel bad when I don't reply- like all the time :S. XD Have as many wet robwards as you want as a thanks ;)**

**-EdwardCullenLove25. I am still amused at the thought of you going through and reading every chapter again.**

**-Bonnie. I know you like being mentioned XD so I thought I'd do it again. Your reviews are always so lovely and your story is great. Keep writing and I'll keep reading. Thanks.**

**-EdwardAteJames'Cookie. Brothers. Pff. XD**

**The rest I don't really have a message for because I don't know you that well. I just noticed your names cropping up a lot and wanted to say thanks.**

**-Tiffanyh06**

**-Dee**

**-Dist.**

**-Literai Lover**

**-AZBella07**

**-ed4evr**

**-rockenweirdo**

**-koloured**

**-bkbl08**

**-Jasper Is My Lover**

**-Marinelove**

**-Signkat**

**-cherryblossoms123456**

**-Denise**

**-Isle Esme**

**-Katt- I have no idea how long it took you to write all of those 'plz's XD**

**-Rosabell**

**-Ranma's girl**

**-Oh and especially the anonymous reviewers because I can't reply to your reviews but they are lovely as well XD**

**Just everyone who reviewed this. Thank you all so much. And for putting up with my (at first) really slow updates :S**

**Secondly, I am going to continue the thing on the sequel. I would love to do a sequel, but will only do it if enough people want me to, so say so if you do.**

**Thirdly, it would be amazingly great if you would go and read my new fanfic. I find it really hard to get a lot of reviews from the start and would love it if you could go start my flow of reviews. It is called "A Million More Mistakes" and here is the summary:**

_At a party, Bella has a one-night-stand with her best friend's brother, Edward. She is amazed that she could be so stupid and runs away to San Francisco to work for her cousin. But then she realises that she is pregnant. Stupid and stubborn, Bella refuses to tell Edward or Alice and delivers the baby without them knowing. But 5 years later, someone else moves to San Francisco… someone Bella would prefer to stay away. As she begins to fall for Edward all over again, Bella realises she has to tell him that he is the father of her child. But then he introduces her to his fiancée, and things get a bit complicated… _

**Yeah, so sound any good? I know it's been done like a million and one times before, but I added the twist of having Edward engaged when he shows up again ;) So an overdone storyline with an original twist. Please read it!!! And review...**

**And that's pretty much everything.**

**THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for everything. Which, at the moment of writing this is:**

**248 (!) Reviews**

**80 Favourites**

**88 Alerts**

**1 C2 (XD a lot lower than the other numbers XD)**

**8,584 Hits (OMFC)**

**Thank you. I love you all. And, if you're reading this, I love you even more.**

**If you feel like reviewing this chapter just to boost my total, then be my guest. If you don't want to, that's also fine... as long as you've reviewed the proper story...**

**Thanks again**

**Over and out for the last time :(**

**Steph**


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